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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29181732">Drink In The Bliss</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TalysAlankil/pseuds/TalysAlankil'>TalysAlankil</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abduction, Action/Adventure, Adopted Children, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops &amp; Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Alternate Universe - WandaVision, Ambiguity, Angst, Art, Awkward Flirting, Awkwardness, Bathing/Washing, Blitzball (Final Fantasy X Series), Break Up, Chatting &amp; Messaging, Children, Coercion, Crimes &amp; Criminals, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Dancing and Singing, Dark, Darkness is Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts), Dating, Domestic, Dreams and Nightmares, Drugs, Emotional Manipulation, Falling In Love, Flirting, Fluff, Food, Friendship, Getting Together, Historical, Intoxication, Jealousy, M/M, Making Out, Manipulation, Married Couple, Medical, Memory Related, Mental Health Issues, Mind Manipulation, Minor Violence, Misunderstandings, Music, Mystery, Non-Graphic Violence, Pirates, Platonic Cuddling, Plot, Poetry, Possessive Behavior, Post-Canon, Protectiveness, Restaurants, Romance, Royalty, Serious Injuries, Sports, Substance Abuse, Supernatural Elements, Trauma, toxic positivity</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 13:20:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>38,195</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29181732</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TalysAlankil/pseuds/TalysAlankil</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Riku enters The Keychain coffee shop, all he can think about is the cute barista behind the counter and his some strange wisdom, his extremely cute smile, and his knack for helping Riku get out of the fog that was his life until now.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>74</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Episode 1: A Meet Cute</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was <i>not</i> the next big AU I planned to write—in fact I was going to take a break from fics altogether while I focused on a novel—but it basically forced its way into my brain and I had to start working on it immediately.</p><p>Chapter count is a tentative minimum based on the outline that burst forth from my head fully armed. Hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hi! Welcome to The Keychain, can I take your order?"</p><p>Riku blinked rapidly, disoriented, at the barista in front of him. "Oh, um—I actually have no idea what I want yet," he said. He glanced at the menu overhead, trying to skim the list of beverages as fast as he could.</p><p>"Do you need any help?"</p><p>"No, I—" Riku started, but the words on the board blurred in his mind. "Maybe?"</p><p>"So what do you need?"</p><p>"Need?"</p><p>"You know, people come to a coffee shop for more than just <em>coffee</em>." He leaned against the counter, highlighting just how short he was compared to Riku, and held up a hand, counting on his fingers. "Maybe you come here to start off your day; it's routine to them. Like a ritual to properly wake up!" Another finger. "Or you need a shot of caffeine to boost you through something <em>big</em>." Another. "Some people come here to just hang out. Get out of their space for a while. Creative types, mostly, but a few people who need human contact too." He eyed Riku curiously. "You don't strike me as the type, but—"</p><p>Riku cleared his throat, flustered by the examination. "Not—really."</p><p>"Didn't want to assume. If I had to guess, I'd say you're my favorite kind of customer."</p><p>His smile was blinding, and Riku swallowed hard, as if it'd help the strange feeling in his gut. "And that is—"</p><p>"The kind of guy who needs a pick-me-up. No offense, but you look a little out of it. Am I right?"</p><p>Riku blinked again, then nodded. "Kind of, yeah."</p><p>"Tell you what, I'll make you a Way to the Dawn. It's our special blend, espresso shot and cocoa, plus sugar and cinnamon. It's like dessert, but it's coffee. Never fails to put a smile on my face." He poked a finger against his own face as if to demonstrate, and Riku wondered what could take the smile <em>off</em> this guy's face.</p><p>"Sounds great," he said, and in spite of himself, Riku found himself smiling. "Thanks."</p><p>"Is it to go?"</p><p>Riku hesitated, then nodded. "Please."</p><p>"Great!" Did the barista sound a little disappointed? Riku looked for more hints of it as he paid for his drink, but the feeling passed. He must be <em>really</em> out of it, as the guy had put it. "I'll just need your name."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Your name? So I can remember which one is your order."</p><p>Riku looked around himself; while about half of the tables in the shop were busy, there wasn't anyone queued up beside him. He looked back at the barista, wondering if he'd caught his drift, but he was still waiting. "It's Riku," he finally said.</p><p>"Riku! Nice to meet you, Riku." The barista smiled as he wrote down the name on the side of an empty cup. "My name is Sora, in case you couldn't tell." He paused and dramatically pointed at his apron, where the name was indeed written—Riku hadn't even thought to look. "Well, Riku, I'll be just a minute! You can take a seat over there while you wait, if you want."</p><p>A few tall seats—looking suspiciously like bar stools—awaited off to the side of the counter, and Riku went to take a seat, waiting in uncomfortable silence. There was something about this barista he couldn't quite name. A sense of déjà vu, of meaningfulness.</p><p>He could practically hear Selphie's voice in his mind. <em>Do you have a cru~ush, Riku?</em></p><p>That couldn't possibly be it. He'd never had a crush since—well, it had been so long that he couldn't even come up with the name. He'd been a child at the time; barely more than puppy love, really. Still, he remembered the <em>feeling</em> of it, and this wasn't it.</p><p>Was it?</p><p>"Here you go, Riku!" Sora had walked out from behind the counter to bring him his drink, and Riku took the paper cup gingerly. "I hope you like it," Sora whispered under his breath, sounding conspiratorial. "I made it extra special for you."</p><p>"…Thanks." It took Riku a moment to understand the meaning of the intense, expectant look in Sora's eyes, so he took a tentative sip. When the warm drink hit his tongue, he almost moaned. Sora hadn't lied: this was dessert in a cup. What he hadn't said, though, was how well the sweetness mixed with the bitterness of the chocolate and coffee. Perfectly balanced. "This is <em>so good</em>," he said. "How did I not know about this place until now?"</p><p>"Well, you do now," Sora said, wagging an eyebrow. "Hope you come again, Riku!"</p>
<hr/><p>Riku didn't remember deciding to come back to The Keychain; it was as if his feet had decided for him. Or maybe his stomach, or his tongue—that coffee had been <em>really</em> good.</p><p><em>Or was it your hea~art?</em> mental-Selphie teased. Clearly, whoever had taught Riku not to hit girls as a child should have made an exception for her; she had gotten to tease him far too much when they were kids if she still haunted him like this. He huffed out a breath, annoyed at the tricks his own brain played on him.</p><p>"<em>Someone's</em> in a sour mood."</p><p>The sound of Sora's voice made Riku flinch. "Just—got a lot on my mind," he said.</p><p>"Another pick-me-up? I'm always up to make you a Way to the Dawn."</p><p>Just the thought of the drink was enough to make Riku's mouth water. "Uh, <em>please</em>."</p><p>Sora chuckled, took Riku's cash, and set off to work. "So what's up with you?" he asked. "The only people I see looking like you did coming in are going through some kind of quarter-life crisis, but you look a few years too young for that still."</p><p>Riku raised an eyebrow. "You don't look any older than me," he pointed out.</p><p>Sora shrugged. "What can I say? I needed the cash, and no one else would hire a high school dropout in <em>this</em> area."</p><p>"Oh—I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"</p><p>"Don't worry about it," Sora said, waving off Riku's concern. "Besides, I like working here." He set the drink on the counter between them, and Riku took it eagerly, closing his eyes when the coffee flooded his mouth. "Don't think I didn't notice you dodging my question, by the way!" Sora said accusingly.</p><p>Riku smirked. "Sorry. I just feel—<em>aimless</em>, these days. Like I lost my purpose."</p><p>"Oh, man, that <em>sucks</em>. So what was it? And why'd you lose it?"</p><p>"I—" Riku breathed slowly, trying to calm the sudden racing of his heart with another sip. "It—doesn't really matter."</p><p>"I know what you mean," Sora said. "You wanna know what I think?" He leaned over the counter again, bringing his hands together in front of him. It made him look like a caricature of some old wizard, making Riku chuckle.</p><p>"Sure, go ahead."</p><p>"When I first arrived here, I thought I needed to change the world, something like that. And then I ended up—well, <em>here</em> here, working at this coffee shop. And you know what I found out?" Sora paused, and Riku waited, enraptured with anticipation. "The best way to find a purpose is with the small things. I love the way I can brighten so many people's days with just a nice chat and a drink." He pointed a finger to Riku. "You should find something small that makes you happy."</p><p>"But—how does that translate to figuring out what you want to do with your life?"</p><p>"It <em>doesn't</em>. But at least you're not miserable while you keep looking." Sora winked just as a customer walked through the shop's door. "Do come again, Riku!"</p>
<hr/><p>Another day, another coffee. Maybe Sora was on to something when he said it could become a ritual. Riku had never thought of himself as a person who needed coffee to wake up, but lately, it certainly felt like he was only ever awake when he was at The Keychain. Though that wasn't the reason he came back, if he were truly honest with himself.</p><p>"Hey, Sora," he said when he reached the front of the line. He was, as always, the last in line, but that suited him fine, because he meant he could linger by the counter just a little longer.</p><p>Sora greeted him with his customary smile, bright and warm as the sun. It was strong enough that Riku could feel its gravitational pull, keeping Riku in the coffee shop's orbit. "Riku! You came back!"</p><p>There was no way to respond to Sora's delight, other than in kind. "Sure did. How's it going today?"</p><p>"You know, serving drinks and changing lives, the usual." He winked, making Riku's entire body fuzzy with feeling. "The usual?"</p><p>"Please. But—not to go, this time."</p><p>"Oh?" Sora raised an eyebrow.</p><p>Riku shrugged self-consciously. "I've got extra time today. I thought I'd hang out here and unwind for a bit."</p><p>"That's a great idea! Come on, pick a table, I'll bring your drink to you when it's done."</p><p>Sora waved towards the tables; today must be a slow day, since they were all empty. Then again, this wasn't his usual time either, so maybe the shop was always like this at this hour. The number of tables spread out in front of him felt somewhat daunting, like which one he chose would reveal something about him and forever ingratiate him to Sora—or make them mortal enemies.</p><p>He was just about to give into choice paralysis and curl into the fetal position on the floor when he realized he was probably overthinking this. He picked the table furthest away from the counter, by the window. From here, he had a nice view of the park across the street, where a few kids were playing, their parents talking to each other on benches while pretending to watch. It reminded Riku of home, though he couldn't exactly place <em>why</em>; no clear image, no specific occasion came to mind, only a warm sense of familiarity.</p><p>Sora approached the table, and Riku noticed he was carrying two cups instead of just one. "So—it's my break," Sora said. "I thought—is it okay if I sit with you? I figured we could both use the company."</p><p>"Y-yeah, of course!" Riku waved at the chair across from him, inviting him to sit.</p><p>There was a satisfied grin on Sora's lips as he sat down and took a sip from his cup. The entire time Sora drank, his eyes never drifted away from Riku, but Riku's eyes kept flitting from one place to another. Sora's eyes, his lashes, his lithe fingers and the strength with which he held his cup, the way his throat bobbed when he swallowed—</p><p>Riku cleared his throat and looked away, but he could have sworn he heard Sora giggling under his breath. He set down his cup on the table, and Riku dared himself to look at that rather than at Sora himself. It didn't look like the same drink Riku got, but he couldn't bring himself to ask what it was.</p><p>"So, speaking of changing lives—" There it was. Riku had been expecting the question. Dreading it? Looking forward to it. Maybe. "Any progress on your soul searching?"</p><p>"Maybe," he simply said. "I don't know for sure yet. It's like there's a missing piece in my life."</p><p>"A missing piece? Like, a person, or—"</p><p>Riku felt himself blushing. "I mean, I wouldn't mind that," he muttered. For a moment, he worried Sora might not have heard him, but the way Sora grinned made him reconsider. "I meant more that it's like—like I had something anchoring me, but then someone broke the chain, and now I've been cut loose."</p><p>"You really like your metaphors, don't you, Riku?"</p><p>Riku shrugged. "I'm going through a weird time. It's all I have to describe it." He took a sip of his coffee to distract him from the way Sora was looking at him.</p><p>"I think it's cute."</p><p>The words caused Riku to choke on his drink, but Sora just looked on, grinning triumphantly, as if he'd exposed Riku. Which, in a sense, he <em>had</em>. "Um—thanks," Riku finally managed.</p><p>"I hope you can find another anchor. Your missing piece. Or whatever else you need." The shop's door opened, and Sora stood up. "Looks like it's the end of my break," he said. "See you around, Riku!"</p><p>Riku watched him walk back to the counter. He'd left his drink on the table between them, and before he could stop himself, Riku took a sip. Sickly sweet—overwhelmingly so—but with a trace of bitterness at the core, the kind that lingered on your lips and demanded you drank more.</p><p>"I hope I find it too," he murmured to himself.</p>
<hr/><p>"So what was that drink you had last time?"</p><p>Sora leaned against the counter, looking up at Riku with a mischievous smile. "Trying to learn my coffee order?"</p><p>It took all of Riku's focus not to trip over his own feet, even though he was standing still. "Just—curious. I can't drink the same thing all the time."</p><p>"Can't you? I think it suits you really well. Don't fix what isn't broken!"</p><p>"What kind of barista <em>are</em> you," Riku said, deadpan, "that you won't answer a customer's question?"</p><p>"The best kind, who realizes that he knows best." Sora winked. "But it's called Oblivion. Since you really wanna know."</p><p>"Oblivion, huh," Riku said. "Are all your drinks named after such…high concepts?"</p><p>"Pretty much." Sora grinned. "Don't say anything mean, I've named a few of them myself."</p><p>Riku laughed at that. "Of course you have."</p><p>Sora's face fell into a pout; "I mean it!"</p><p>"I believe you. I just meant—it figures you'd be talented enough to invent new drinks." Riku paused. "Sorry if I sounded skeptical, that wasn't—"</p><p>"That's okay. And—" Sora's smile returned as a cocky smirk. "I <em>am</em> pretty talented."</p><p>"I don't doubt it," Riku said, and he meant every word.</p><p>They remained in silence for a second, until someone behind Riku in the queue cleared their throat loudly. Sora stood up straight, tearing himself from the counter, and Riku averted his gaze, his cheeks burning up. "So," Sora said. "The usual anyway?"</p><p>"Please."</p><p>"And—are you staying today?"</p><p>"I'm sorry, I can't. It's gonna have to be to go again."</p><p>"Ah, well. That's okay. Can't have everything." Still, Sora's disappointment was palpable. "I'll make it extra special for you, okay?"</p><p>Before Riku could ask what he meant, Sora was off to prepare his drink, humming under his breath as he worked. It was the first time Riku had heard him do that, and he instantly found it charming. Sora may not be the greatest singer, but something about his utter lack of shame was just <em>delightful</em>.</p><p>"And here you go," Sora said, holding out Riku's cup for him. Their fingers brushed when Riku took the cup, and for a moment he thought he was going to drop the cup.</p><p>"So…what's special about it?"</p><p>"I guess we'll see if you can figure it out," Sora teased.</p><p>Riku blinked in confusion, but the look on Sora's face made it clear he wasn't going to elaborate. "Well, um," he said. "See you around, then."</p><p>He'd barely set foot outside of the coffee shop when he noticed it. It wasn't anything to do with the drink itself, but on the outside of the cup. Under his name, written in Sora's grandiose-yet-sloppy handwriting, was a series of digits written in sharpie. A phone number.</p>
<hr/><p>Riku called Sora in what felt like a haze, or a trance. He couldn't remember a single word either of them had said, and even now, as he walked to the park right outside The Keychain, his mind still felt a little blank. He was so <em>nervous</em>.</p><p>In his defense, he'd never been on a date before. Wait, <em>was</em> this even a date? Had he made that clear to Sora? Or did Sora think they were just hanging out?</p><p>No, he wouldn't think that; he'd been the one to give Riku his number. No one did that just to <em>hang out</em>. Right?</p><p><em>You need more friends, Riku~</em>. Riku was getting really tired of his inner Selphie, but she had a point. Maybe, if he had more friends, he would know what <em>was</em> just friendly stuff and what counted as flirting.</p><p>But at the same time, he was fairly certain that Sora had been flirting with him whenever he came around the shop now. So. There was that in his favor too. And if he'd misread the signs, well, at least he'd gotten out there and tried. He was sure that even if Sora was going to reject him, he'd still commend him for the effort.</p><p>He'd stopped by the shop, though of course, it being Sora's day off, he hadn't been there. Which was exactly what Riku needed: he got Sora's order to go, along with his own, as a small surprise. He hoped Sora would like the gesture; for all he knew, maybe he'd be bummed out that Riku would immediately bring his job up and—</p><p>Okay, that was just the nerves talking. It's <em>just</em> a coffee. But still, maybe he should dump them out—</p><p>"Riku!"</p><p>Well, too late for that. Riku turned around and saw Sora walking towards him. It was the first time Riku saw him in anything other than his apron, and the red-and-black coat he wore was the most precious thing Riku had ever seen, especially the way Sora's hair looked bunched under the hood.</p><p>"Hot drink?" Riku said, projecting all the confidence he didn't feel he had right now.</p><p>"<em>Please</em>." Sora greedily reached for the cup and drank a solid amount. "I can't believe it got so <em>cold</em> today. Thanks, Riku."</p><p>"Of course. It's nothing, really."</p><p>"I don't know, I think it's pretty thoughtful of you."</p><p>Riku felt himself blushing, but he hoped Sora would just think the red on his cheeks was from the cold. "So, um—" He'd forgotten all his plans already. What were they supposed to do? All he could remember was agreeing to meet up. "This <em>is</em> a date, right?"</p><p>The moment the words tumbled out of his mouth, Riku cursed his anxiety. Way to make this awkward.</p><p>Sora looked at him blankly for just long enough to make Riku start to panic. Then he burst out laughing. "Well I <em>hope</em> it's a date. Otherwise I gave you my number for nothing."</p><p>Riku chuckled nervously, but relief bubbled in his chest. "Good. I just—I wanted to check."</p><p>"Although, if I'm being honest—" Sora looked away, visibly flustered, and took a sip from his drink. "I was kind of hoping we could skip the date and get to the part where we both say we really like each other." He looked up at Riku, eyes full of hope, a shy smile blooming on his lips.</p><p>Riku knew there was only one thing for him to do: he leaned forward and kissed that smile, pressing their lips together so he could nourish it and return it to the miniature sun that had come to brighten his every day. His hands tangled into Sora's hair, and Sora's hands wrapped behind his neck, and he was distantly aware that meant they'd both dropped their coffees, but it didn't matter right now, because this guy was <em>here</em>, and he <em>liked</em> him, and maybe there <em>was</em> something that could anchor Riku and show him a new path after all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Episode 2: This Is Our Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sora and Riku move in together, and meet the bubbly girl next door.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Riku's life was moving in fast-forward and jump cuts at times. One moment, he was kissing Sora in a park, coffee pooling at their feet from abandoned cups. The next, they stood inside an apartment—<em>their</em> apartment, having freshly moved in.</p><p>Sora cooed with excitement at everything he crossed, even though Riku was pretty sure they were mostly <em>his</em> things; Riku hadn't had much to take with him himself. "This is <em>our</em> chair now!" "<em>Our</em> table!" "<em>Our</em> microwave!" "<em>Our</em> trashcan!"</p><p><em>How romantic!</em> Riku wasn't sure if the real Selphie would be sarcastic or not in this circumstance; <em>he</em> certainly felt a little bit of both. Yes, Sora was being extravagant, but his charm wasn't any lessened by it.</p><p>"How'd I land a guy like you?" he said fondly, because he <em>could</em>.</p><p>Sora looked back at him, blushing a little. "Well, you've got good taste, obviously."</p><p>"I don't know. I think I'm just good at taking advice."</p><p>"That's not a bad thing either." He had a sly grin. "Especially if it's <em>my</em> advice!" Giggling, he went back to touring the apartment—looking and marveling at their stuff, and unpacking absolutely none of it. Amused, it was all Riku could do to follow him and take care to set things in order as they went—as much as humanly possible, anyway.</p><p>"Maybe you're right," Riku said. "You give me purpose."</p><p>"Aw, Riku, you're gonna make me blush!" Sora set a pile of dinner plates back down in the box he'd taken them from, and got to his feet, pressing a soft kiss to Riku's lips. "I don't thank you enough for being in <em>my</em> life, too."</p><p>"Me? I still don't even know why you <em>like</em> me."</p><p>"Are you kidding? You're brave, and kind, and loyal, and—"</p><p>"Have you <em>met</em> me?"</p><p>Sora stroked Riku's cheek with his thumb. "You've been through a rough time lately, sure. But I can see you—the real you, hidden inside your heart. I know who you really <em>are</em>, Riku."</p><p>"Can you tell me? I'm not sure I do."</p><p>"I'm trying to. But right now, what matters is that we're <em>together</em>. In a place that's truly <em>ours</em>. Do you know how long I've been waiting for this?"</p><p>Riku blinked. "How long ago did I walk into your coffee shop?"</p><p>"It's not <em>my</em> shop," Sora teased.</p><p>"Whatever. It's been—" Riku paused, blanking out on the exact time. A handful of weeks? Months? Something like that. "Not that long," he settled on.</p><p>"Riku!" Sora chided him. "I've been waiting <em>my whole life</em> for you!"</p><p>"Like, the <em>idea</em> of me, or—"</p><p>Sora chuckled, and kissed him. "Stop overthinking when I'm trying to be romantic," he said against Riku's lips.</p><p>"It's not <em>my</em> fault you don't make sense."</p><p>"Me not making sense is what you like about me."</p><p>Riku didn't argue, because Sora wasn't <em>wrong</em>, but it was more that there was very <em>little </em>about Sora that Riku didn't <em>like</em> about Sora.</p><p>"Come on!" Sora suddenly said, pulling himself away from Riku's arms and towards the next box. "We have so much to unpack! A whole apartment to fill with <em>our</em> things! There's no time to waste!"</p><hr/><p>Hours of unpacking, and Riku barely felt like they'd made a dent in putting Sora's stuff in place. The only thing that came to mind was Merlin's bag in <em>The Sword In The Stone</em>; the more they took out of the boxes, the more there seemed to be <em>left</em> in the boxes.</p><p>By the time they called it quits for the evening and ordered takeout, Riku was just about exhausted and ready to go out like a light. He collapsed in the couch—<em>our</em> couch, Sora would say—and immediately, Sora was pressed up against him, curled up around Riku's side and offering him a box of Chinese food. Riku gladly took the offer, and they ate together, unwinding from all the exertion of the day, the conversation between them easy and unfocused. Riku was happy just <em>being</em> here.</p><p>But eventually, the food ran out, and it was time to move again—if only to relocate to the bed. But when Riku went into the bathroom to brush his teeth, Sora followed him inside, and his eyes glinted at something in the mirror.</p><p>"<em>Our</em> bathtub," he said, soft and reverential. He turned his gaze to Riku's reflection, wagging an eyebrow. "You know, there's a <em>great</em> way to relax after a hard day's work—"</p><p>Riku blushed at his suggestion. "You have a point," he said. "Maybe we should try it out together."</p><p>"I <em>like</em> the way you're thinking," Sora replied with a sly grin.</p><p>Waiting for the tub to fill with hot water was torturous, even if they only needed it half-full if they were going in there together. But somehow, Riku managed not to die of anticipation before the water had reached a decent level, and they stripped in a hurry before slipping in the water together.</p><p>But whatever Riku had expected to come out of Sora's suggestion, it wasn't to end up in a bathtub filled with bubbles, with Sora trying to win a splashing fight as if they had enough room to move at all. Though, knowing Sora, he probably <em>should</em> have expected exactly that.</p><p>Riku tried to scold him, but Sora squirmed and teased until Riku had no choice but to fight back, sending water sloshing overboard with wild abandon. They laughed themselves silly, and once Sora had finally run out of energy, they settled down in the somehow still-warm water. Sora pressed his back against Riku's chest, his head fitting in the crook of Riku's neck just under his chin. Sora added some more bubble bath to the water until the water's entire surface was covered in white foam again, then finally relaxed into Riku's arms with a contented sigh.</p><p>"You know," Riku said, "I had a friend I did stuff like that with once."</p><p>"You did? What were they like? How come I never heard about them?"</p><p>"I—I don't know. I was just a kid, I barely remember any of it. I just have this memory of playing in—" He paused, chasing down the memory, but only grasping at smoke. "In water."</p><p>"Something bad must have happened, if you had such a good friend but haven't kept in touch."</p><p>"Yeah, must have," Riku said. He didn't actually <em>know</em>, but it sounded about right. "I'm glad I have <em>you</em> now, though. For stuff like this. It feels like I've been alone for such a long time."</p><p>"You <em>do</em> have me. I'm not going anywhere."</p><p>Sora craned his neck back to kiss him, pushing away any other thought that might have been on Riku's brain.</p><hr/><p>The bath water never seemed to go cold, but when Riku felt so tired that he was about to fall asleep in the tub, he decided to call it and get out of the tub. Which turned out to be a good thing, because he was in the middle of getting dressed when a noise outside the bathroom caught his attention, followed by:</p><p>"Anyone home? Helloooo!"</p><p>The unknown voice coming from the living room startled Riku, and he dashed out of the bathroom, shirtless and immediately on high alert. In the middle of their chaotic living room stood a diminutive girl with a short bob of red hair. "Who're you?" he said gruffly.</p><p>The girl turned towards Riku; when she saw him, she opened her mouth briefly, her brows furrowing as if she was trying to place his face. Then she blinked and shook her head. "Um-sorry, I didn't mean to barge in. I'm Kairi, I live in the apartment right next door. The door was unlocked, so I thought—" She cleared her throat. "I'd come in and introduce myself? I also wanted to welcome you in the building." She held up the dish she was carrying in her hands; Riku couldn't see what was inside, but it looked home-cooked—and home-<em>burned</em>.</p><p>Something about the girl made Riku's hair stand on end, but before he could snap at her any further, Sora stepped out from behind him. <em>He'd</em> taken the time to get dressed, Riku noticed. "Nice to meet you, Kairi!" he greeted, cheerful as ever. "I'm Sora, this is Riku. We just moved in together!"</p><p>"Oh, like, <em>together</em> together?" Kairi's eyes sparkled instantly. "That's so <em>cool</em>! You guys are lucky, this place is <em>amazing</em>! You'll see—"</p><p>The two of them began chattering away as if they were the oldest of friends, while Riku looked on, feeling completely left out of their conversation.</p><p>"This is all nice," he finally said, forcing himself to speak louder than comfortable so they'd have to acknowledge him. "But—it's very late? And <em>how</em> did you even know the door was unlocked?" <em>Why</em> didn't their apartment door lock automatically in the first place? That struck him as a major design flaw, but maybe it was in case someone forgot their keys or something similar. Though that didn't explain how this girl would know they hadn't locked it.</p><p>"Oh, um—" Kairi blinked again, then shrugged. "You know."</p><p>"Kairi's just being nice, Riku," Sora said, chiding him again. "Look!" He had taken her dish from her hands at some point, and he shoved it under Riku's nose; it took all of Riku's politeness not to wrinkle his nose at it. Yup. Definitely burned.</p><p>"Yes, that's very thoughtful," he said. "But we kind of need sleep. Don't you have a shift in the morning tomorrow?"</p><p>"Yeah, yeah," Sora said, and turned back to Kairi. "It really <em>was</em> nice to meet you, Kairi, but Riku's right. We were already planning to go to bed, like, an hour ago now. We just got distracted."</p><p>Kairi put her hands over her mouth in a display of mortification. "Oh, of course, I understand! I'll leave you to it!" She nodded, and strolled towards the door. "Well, I'm going now. If you need anything, you know where to find me, okay?"</p><p>"Don't be silly!" Sora said. "You can just come over anytime you want! I'd love to hang out more!"</p><p>A pleased smile formed on Kairi's lips. "Will do!" she said, before walking out the door.</p><p>Once they were alone, Sora turned to Riku once more. "She seems nice."</p><p>"She seems like she lacks boundaries," Riku said, skeptical.</p><p>"Aw, don't be like that, Riku! She could be a friend! Didn't you say you needed those?"</p><p>Did he? "Sure," he said with a dismissive shrug. "But you're <em>not</em> eating that," he said, taking the dish from Sora's hands. Now that he had a better view of it, he could see the charred crust that had formed at the top of the dish. "I don't want you to die from food poisoning."</p><p>"Aw, you really <em>do</em> care," Sora teased in response.</p><hr/><p>Living together with Sora was everything Riku hoped for and more. Every moment they had together was <em>theirs</em> alone, and each of them was a new occasion to show Sora how Riku felt. His life was a whirlwind of small touches that painted a bigger picture, and that picture was the radiant glory of his love for Sora.</p><p>That is, when they <em>were</em> alone together in their apartment. Kairi, it turned out, took Sora's open invitation to heart, and was around at least daily. Every time she came over, she had <em>some</em> kind of present for them, from hand-crafted jewelry to a crafts project she wanted them to work on together as a bonding exercise, to more attempts at food that inevitably fell on the…less successful side. Though at least she was capable of recommending great places to order takeout from once they gave up on trying to eat what she cooked.</p><p>Still, every time she was around was a moment they weren't <em>together</em>. She was an intruder; and worse, the way Sora was with her was—different. She made him laugh in a way Riku couldn't, she was simple and clean when Riku was complicated and messy. Sora showed his affections physically with just about everyone he knew, but when he was around Kairi, there was a respectful distance between them, like he was intimidated.</p><p>Riku didn't need to guess <em>why</em>, because Sora had acted this way towards him once, too. Keeping his distance; showing interest, but never crossing a line. The more Riku thought about it, the hotter his heart burned, red-hot then yellow then green, consuming him with envy.</p><p>He mostly kept it to himself; he never thought he was one to get jealous, and he didn't <em>want</em> to be that guy. He definitely didn't want to subject <em>Sora</em> to it. But he also couldn't help but <em>think</em> about it, his skin itching with the need to <em>put a stop to this already</em>.</p><p>He thought he had it under control. Then one evening, when it was the three of them in the apartment that should have belonged to the <em>two</em> of them, Riku found himself on the sidelines again. Sora and Kairi were bantering about the benefits of knowing how to build and sail a raft at sea, and Riku had more or less tuned out when he realized that he knew more about the topic than them, but that they didn't <em>actually</em> want to build a raft, just go out on an adventure.</p><p>Sora glanced at him with a crooked smile, and that caught his attention. It wasn't the joyful smiles he usually sent Riku's way; it felt almost like a taunt.</p><p>Then Kairi said: "We could go. Just the two of us."</p><p>Riku was out of his seat in a matter of seconds. "Liste here, you little <em>shit</em>—" He grabbed Kairi's upper arm, yanking her out of the couch she and Sora had been sharing.</p><p>"Riku!" Sora cried out, alarmed.</p><p>"You think you can just come in here daily and make moves on <em>my</em> boyfriend like it's nothing? Who do you <em>think</em> you <em>are</em>?"</p><p>"Riku!" Kairi cried out too, but her voice was pained. "Riku, I'm not trying to—"</p><p>"I can <em>see</em> what you're doing. Do you think I'm <em>blind</em>?"</p><p>"Riku, you're hurting me!" Kairi pleaded. Riku didn't let go.</p><p>"Riku, that's <em>enough</em>!"</p><p>Sora's shout caused Riku's muscles to go slack all at once. He stared into Kairi's eyes, transfixed, his mind blank.</p><p>"Come on, Riku!" Sora continued "We're all <em>friends</em>! Best friends, right?"</p><p>Riku blinked, and his anger faded, as if torn from his chest by the sound of Sora's voice. He could vaguely hear his mental Selphie protesting, but he shut her up. "R-right," he let out flatly. "Sorry. I—I don't know what came over me." He stepped back, horrified at himself even more than at the look on Kairi's face. "I'm sorry," he repeated, and dashed out of the room.</p><hr/><p>Sora found him in the bathtub later. He'd climbed into it fully clothed, needing to just cut out the world for a time.</p><p>"Riku?" Sora asked softly. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay."</p><p>"I don't know if I'll ever be able to stand myself," Riku grumbled, keeping his face pressed into into his knees. "But other than that—" He sighed. "I'm sorry about what happened," Riku said. "It's like I wasn't myself for a moment."</p><p>"It's okay, Riku. We all have those times." He paused. "Besides, I have to say, watching you fight for me like that was…maybe a little bit hot."</p><p>"Oh, <em>really</em> now?" Riku snorted, and finally looked up. Sora had knelt on the floor by the edge of the tub, which put him a few inches lower than Riku.</p><p>Sora shrugged. "I wouldn't want you to do anything like that again to a friend, but—it's flattering. Anyone likes to feel wanted."</p><p>"Are you saying you usually don't—"</p><p>"No," Sora cut him off. "You didn't do anything wrong. I know you love me." Riku tensed up, but Sora continued on. "I just—like to see it too." He blinked, and finally noticed the look on Riku's face. "What?"</p><p>"You said 'love'," Riku said, slow and cautious.</p><p>Sora's eyes widened, his entire body twitching with a sudden influx of nervous energy. "Oh. Did I?"</p><p>Riku nodded. "Mm-hmm."</p><p>"Well, I—" Sora let out a nervous chuckle, running a hand through his hair. "I said <em>you</em> love <em>me</em>." He grinned up at Riku. "Don't you?"</p><p>It was Riku's turn to laugh nervously. Of course Sora would manage to have <em>him</em> cornered, even now. Well, it was a childish conversation anyway. "Of course I love you, Sora," he said, taking in the way the words took Sora's breath out. "Though I was going to way for a more romantic moment to say it."</p><p>"Aww," Sora cooed, "did I ruin your plans?" The teasing smile on his face was a mere deflection, and Riku knew it, but he didn't mind.</p><p>"I don't think you ever <em>could</em> ruin anything, Sora. Not as long as we're together." He had come this far; might as well remain honest.</p><p>A pleased, genuine smile grew on Sora's lips in place of the mocking one. "Well, I—" He chuckled. "I love you too, Riku," he said softly, as if forcing the words out before they burned him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Episode 3: This Is Our Family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sora has an idea that changes the course of his and Riku's relationship—and their lives—forever.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I wasn't planning to post this chapter today, especially after two Valentine's Day fics already, but…well, it <i>was</i> planned to be set on V-Day, and was already half-complete, so I figured I'd power through and post it as well. Hope you enjoy! This is where the story really picks up, if I do say so myself.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It started with a "Say, Riku…how'd you feel about children?"</p>
<p>The moment Sora asked the question, Riku knew he was done for. But it was <em>Sora</em> asking, and it was Sora asking <em>about their future</em>, so there was only ever one reply: <em>as long as it's with you</em>.</p>
<p>It was a big change, one Riku wouldn't have taken with anyone else for the world. And sure, he'd never thought the adoption process would be so <em>quick</em>—or maybe it was his messed up perception of time playing tricks on him again. Whichever the case, they soon had a boy named Yozora in their care. <em>Their</em> son.</p>
<p>Yozora was about six, and as soon as they met him, Sora pointed out how similar he and Riku looked. "Come on, Riku! He looks like he's your biological son! He <em>has</em> to be the one!" Riku could almost believe it, if not for the fact that he knew very well he'd never had the opportunity to father a child.</p>
<p>Not that it mattered, in the end. It wasn't about how the boy looked, but what he meant. It was about what he needed—what <em>they</em> needed, too—and what they could give him. It was about the love in Sora's eyes, and in Riku's heart. A chance to turn just one life around. So Yozora was added to their family, this young, quiet boy who looked at the world with eyes just a little too big, a little too <em>knowing</em>. A boy who, just like Riku had for most of his life, needed someone to love him and show him the way. And now, he had two.</p>
<p>It wasn't even a problem to Riku anymore that their little apartment wasn't just a home for two anymore. After his one outburst with Kairi, he'd taken the time to grow, to boost his confidence and his trust in Sora. Kairi was their <em>best friend</em>, like Sora had said; there was nothing to fear about her. After accepting her, making room in his heart for a boy who needed a home was an easy next step. And so their space became a <em>home</em>—and one that meant more than just the two of them.</p>
<p>Riku finally understood what people meant, when they said that something could be more than the sum of its parts. Their relationship—their <em>family</em>—had started as just them, and the love they had for one another, but it had become something more. And Riku couldn't have been prouder for it.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"So—" Sora said, his voice trailing off. Riku perked up from his reading instantly. He'd grown to know what that tone meant: Sora wanted to ask something</p>
<p>"What is it?"</p>
<p>"It's almost Valentine's Day."</p>
<p>"It—is?" Riku had completely lost track of the holiday. "Well, we should do something special, then, right?"</p>
<p>"Oh, we sure should." Sora grinned. "It's all planned out, actually." His scheming grin elicited an eyebrow raise out of Riku. "Candlelit dinner, of course. And then, I'm taking you <em>dancing</em>. The sun dance festival is in town, and we are <em>going</em>."</p>
<p>"The—" Riku frowned. "In the middle of February?"</p>
<p>Sora shrugged. "Should be a warm day. We'll be fine."</p>
<p>"Okay, but—what about Yozora?"</p>
<p>"I was thinking we could ask Kairi to babysit."</p>
<p>Riku bit back a remark about her inability to feed herself, let alone take care of a child. Or the fact that it would be his first night without them at home, and maybe they should have had a test run for a shorter time first. Or any other criticism he had, because he could tell Sora's mind was made up already. "And by 'I was thinking', you mean you already asked her, don't you" he guessed.</p>
<p>"I haven't…<em>not</em> asked her," Sora replied, mischievous.</p>
<p>Riku rolled his eyes fondly. "Sure. We might as well do this. And if things go wrong—"</p>
<p>"They won't. Believe me."</p>
<p><em>You really shouldn't</em>, his inner Selphie pointed out. "I do," he said anyway.</p>
<p>Kairi was, of course, delighted to be asked to babysit—Riku wasn't sure he'd ever seen her respond to anything Sora asked with less than a smile and a squee. This meant that at six in the afternoon, Sora, with a triumphant grin, led Riku out of their apartment and onto the road.</p>
<p>The bistro he'd selected, La Ratatouille, was a small and cozy thing, the kind Riku hadn't realized existed in this cold, lifeless city. "Only you could find this sort of location around here," he told Sora as they were led to their table.</p>
<p>"What do you mean?"</p>
<p>"It's just—way nicer than anything I've been able to find since I moved to the city. All the establishments <em>I've</em> found were so cold as to be clinical."</p>
<p>Sora furrowed his brows exaggeratedly. "Riku, are you sure you weren't checking <em>hospitals</em> for food?" His serious tone only added to the absurdity of his joke, and Riku burst out laughing. "Seriously, I seem to recall we <em>met</em> in one of these establishments."</p>
<p>Riku winced. "I didn't mean to insult it. Of course I could never forget where we first met."</p>
<p>Sora smiled brightly at that. "You <em>better</em> not!" he teased, and raised his champagne. "Well, cheers! To us! And many more Valentine's Days to come!"</p>
<p>"To <em>you</em>, Sora," Riku replied softly, before bringing the drink to his lips. The champagne was exquisite, as bright on his tongue as the spark in Sora's eyes, and any doubts Riku had about tonight burst like so many bubbles. "Thanks for tonight. I think I needed this."</p>
<p>"No, thank <em>you</em>. For being the amazing boyfriend you always are."</p>
<p>"It's easy," Riku said, chuckling. "I just go along with whatever you want me to do."</p>
<p>"Yeah, well, maybe that's what I needed. Ever thought of that?"</p>
<p>"I don't know. Everyone needs to be challenged once in a while."</p>
<p>"Oh <em>really</em>?" Sora raised a dubious eyebrow.</p>
<p>"You challenged <em>me</em>," Riku pointed out. "Made me find a new path in life. I always thought I wanted to—" He paused, at a loss for words. "Well, something <em>big</em>, as if my life didn't mean anything unless I changed everything. But here I am, dating you, living in a small apartment, and now a dad. And you know what? I couldn't be happier."</p>
<p>"That seems like a challenge," Sora teased, and Riku laughed.</p>
<p>"Point is, sometimes it's good to struggle. It's how we change; how we grow. Right?"</p>
<p>"I guess," Sora conceded. "But tonight, I'd rather just celebrate."</p>
<hr/>
<p>One excellent dinner later, they moved on to the sun dance festival—a traveling festival, culminating in an open-air dance on whatever square the festival managed to secure. Like Sora had said, the weather was warm in spite of the season, and Riku found himself shedding his coat on the way to the festival.</p>
<p>At the sight of so many dancers twirling and waving around one another, Riku felt a rush of self-conscious anxiety, but before he could stop at the edge of the square, Sora caught him by the arm. "Come on! It's gonna be fun!"</p>
<p>Riku yelped in protest, but Sora dragged him into the throng of dancers mercilessly, laughing as he fell into rhythm with the music. Riku struggled just to find the beat, and before he'd fully settled into it, he and Sora were separated, another dancer taking Riku's hands and pulling him away. Then another dancer traded partners with Riku, and another; Riku was just about ready to collapse when he bumped back into Sora, and he seized onto Sora's hands for dear life.</p>
<p>"Please don't make me do that again," he whined, sounding as miserable as he felt.</p>
<p>Sora only laughed. "Of course," he said. "You <em>are</em> mine to keep, after all."</p>
<p>A blush crept up Riku's cheek at the heat under Sora's words, and when Sora led him into another twirl, his body followed on instinct, his mind too busy flailing to hinder his movements. For a glorious moment, Riku was dancing, like it was the most natural thing in the world, and Sora <em>laughed</em>, and Riku's heart soared.</p>
<p>It was like something had unlocked within him—or <em>been</em> unlocked by Sora, to be more accurate. He took the lead from Sora, then passed it back to him, on and on as the night flew by around them. When midnight rang and the festival came to a close, their momentum was so big they kept twirling for a few more seconds before finally settling into each other's arms, grinning and panting with elation.</p>
<p>"Should we head home?" Sora purred into the crook of Riku's neck, and it was all Riku could do not to break into a run in his hurry to oblige.</p>
<p>When they got back to the apartment, Kairi greeted them with a cheery smile, but Riku made quick work of pushing her out. Then he grabbed Sora's hand, and led him to the bedroom.</p>
<p>"Come here," Riku said, and he pulled Sora to him, letting himself fall back onto the mattress. Sora yelped in surprise, but he was more than happy to slotting against Riku's body; coming together was effortless for them by now.</p>
<p>The press of Sora's lips against Riku's was tender, but the way his hand gripped at Riku's side was demanding, and the way his other hand fisted the sheets was nothing short of desperate. Riku responded eagerly, sliding his own hands under the fabric of Sora's clothes, earning himself a first whimper of <em>need</em> from his boyfriend, a first shiver across Sora's skin.</p>
<p>Sora trembled against him, then that trembled turned to motion, uncontrolled and feverish. Even though he was smaller by far, he was inhabited with such a frantic energy that he never seemed to struggle with covering all of Riku's body, and Riku relished that about him. If there was anyone who could turn up the heat as much as Sora could, they had to be out of this world, because Riku couldn't imagine anyone here being anywhere near a match. Even when Riku rolled on top of him, Sora's control of the situation was still complete—just what Riku needed.</p>
<p>The mood was, however, promptly ruined by the sound of a tiny voice.</p>
<p>"Dad?"</p>
<p>Riku jerked away from Sora, feeling the blood drain from his face. When he looked at the doorway, however, it was empty: Yozora had called from his room. Breathing out a sigh of relief, he tore himself away from Sora. "I'll check on him," he said, and hurried into Yozora's room. Yozora was sitting up on his bed, trying his best to slow his breathing.</p>
<p>"Hey, buddy," Riku said softly, kneeling by his bedside. "What's going on? It's way past your bedtime."</p>
<p>"I had a bad dream," the boy said. "I was—" He blinked rapidly. "I was older, in a big city. I was trying to save a princess."</p>
<p>"That doesn't sound like a bad dream," Riku said gently, though the look on his son's face still gave him pause.</p>
<p>"But then—I fought Dad. And I—trapped him. He turned into crystal, and I—I woke up."</p>
<p>"Oh, sweetie." Riku gently stroked his cheek. "Your dad's all right. It was just a dream."</p>
<p>"But I—"</p>
<p>"Do you wanna come and see?" Riku offered, praying Sora hadn't taken any sort of initiative concerning their earlier activities.</p>
<p>Yozora stared at him for a moment, looking eerily grave for a boy so young. "Yeah," he finally said. "Okay."</p>
<p>Riku picked him up into his arm, and made his way back to his bedroom. Sora must have overheard him, because when Riku came in, he'd changed into his pajamas, and was looking perfectly innocent, with not even so much as a hair out of place.</p>
<p>"Bad dream?" Sora asked gently. "Come over here," he said, reaching to take the boy from Riku's arms. He settled onto the bed, and lay Yozora down beside him, in the middle of the mattress. "We'll keep the bad dreams at bay. Won't we, Riku?"</p>
<p>Riku looked at the two of them. This wasn't <em>exactly</em> where he'd expected the evening to end up, but he still felt his heart swell with something that felt a lot like love. "Yeah," he said, smiling to himself.</p>
<p>He changed into his pajamas as well, and slid under the cover on the other side of Yozora. His hand met Sora's across the bad, and the two of them settled around their son, holding him tight and sharing their love with him.</p>
<hr/>
<p>A knock at the door woke Riku up with a jolt. He sat up in a hurry, wondering what could have caused such a noise; next to him, Sora stirred as well, frowning with worry. Yozora, at the center of the bed, was still sound asleep.</p>
<p>"I'm gonna check it out," Riku said, but Sora grabbed his wrist before he could get up.</p>
<p>"I'm coming with you."</p>
<p>Riku didn't argue; the two of them slowly went to the door, then Riku opened it quickly, hoping to surprise whoever was on the other side. However, the hallways was empty.</p>
<p>Blinking in confusion, Riku looked at the blank space when the knocking sound repeated itself. This time, he realized it hadn't been at <em>this</em> door, but at their front door. "Who's knocking that <em>hard</em> on the door at four in the morning?" Riku asked, but Sora shook his head.</p>
<p>They moved through the apartment together, and Riku checked through the peephole. He instantly let a sigh of relief out. "It's just Kairi," he said, and opened the door.</p>
<p>She walked in as soon as there was enough room for her to slip inside. "I forgot something," she said, her gaze strangely vacant. "Yozora reminded me."</p>
<p>"Yozora?" Riku asked, but she didn't elaborate. "What are you looking for? Maybe we can help you look."</p>
<p>"It's—my lucky charm."</p>
<p>"You never told me about a lucky charm," Sora said, sounding almost accusatory. His lips were drawn tight, his eyes narrowed ever so slightly.</p>
<p>Riku wondered about his concern—especially when he was usually jumping at any chance to talk to Kairi. "What does it look like?" he asked, feeling the urge to balance out Sora's weirdness.</p>
<p>"It's a star," Kairi said. "Made out of seashells. I drew a face in the center, and there's a keychain hanging from it. I call it a—" She paused, as if searching for words. Then, with a gasp, her eyes flew wide, and she looked up—straight at Sora. "Sora…" she said softly, sounding almost afraid. "This is all <em>wrong</em>."</p>
<p>Sora frowned at her. "Wrong?"</p>
<p>"Kairi," Riku said, "is everything okay?"</p>
<p>"You shouldn't <em>be</em> here. You gave up your heart to save me."</p>
<p>"Gave up my heart?" Sora laughed. "Kairi, what're you <em>talking</em> ab—"</p>
<p>"But you <em>did</em>! I <em>know</em> you did! Twice, in as many years. First you turned the Keyblade of Hearts on yourself to free my heart, and then you used the Power of Waking to find me! I remember now. Don't you <em>remember</em>?"</p>
<p>Riku looked on, stunned. "Kairi, you're not making any sense," he said softly.</p>
<p>He glanced at Sora, worried, but what he saw gave him pause instead. The look on Sora's face had shifted, hardened, grown cold. It looked alien on his face, and for a moment, it scared the <em>hell</em> out of Riku. "Stop saying that stuff, Kairi."</p>
<p>"But Sora!" she protested. "You know what I'm talking about, don't you? I know you do!"</p>
<p>Riku kept looking between the two of them. "Sora, what's she—"</p>
<p>"That's <em>it</em>!" Sora snapped, slicing through the air with one hand. It wasn't a very threatening motion, and he was much too far away from Kairi to even <em>touch</em> her.</p>
<p>Yet when Riku looked back to her, there was no one standing there. Kairi had just <em>vanished</em>.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Riku looked back to Sora, slowly. "Sora. What—<em>happened</em>?" He blinked, and for a moment, Sora wasn't just <em>Sora</em>; he was like a lighthouse, parting the fog in Riku mind. It wasn't the way it usually went around Sora, where the fog only showed Riku the way to his boyfriend. Instead, for the first time in as long as he could remember, he could see a way out, and the images Riku saw beyond the edges were—</p>
<p>"<em>No.</em>"</p>
<p>Sora's voice cracked like a whip, demanding Riku's attention. But what he was seeing felt like an <em>answer</em>, and Riku had been looking for his purpose for <em>so. Long!</em> "Just a second, Sora—" he said, distractedly.</p>
<p>"I said <em>no</em>! This isn't how it <em>goes</em>!"</p>
<p>It was like the truth was on the tip of Riku's tongue. "Sora, I think I know what's going—"</p>
<p>He looked back at Sora, but his gaze slipped right off of him. Instead, it landed on their son, standing by Sora's side. Around Yozora's feet were flecks of something reflective that caught the light.</p>
<p>"What's—" Frowning, Riku moved closer. It was only when he saw the look on Yozora's face that he understood. "Are those—<em>tears</em>?"</p>
<p>Just as he asked the question, another drop ran from Yozora's eye, down his cheek, and to the floor. When it hit the carpet, it too caught the light.</p>
<p>"This isn't working," Sora said, staring straight ahead, oblivious to Riku or his son's plight.</p>
<p>Riku glanced up at him, but just then, Yozora let out a quiet whimper and shuffled in place. Riku looked back at him, immediately on alert, and gasped: the tears around Yozora's feet were no longer tears. They had grown in size, and gone solid, forming crystalline shards that trapped Yozora's feet, preventing him from moving.</p>
<p>"Yozora!" Riku cried out.</p>
<p>He reached for the boy's shoulders, trying to help him move; but before his fingers could connect, the crystals <em>grew</em>, running fast up Yozora's legs, then his chest, covering him in a thin sheet of translucent crystal. Until it covered his face, too, freezing his look of fear as he stared lifelessly at Riku.</p>
<p>Riku recoiled in horror, unable to process what had just happened. But the crystals weren't done: from Yozora's feet, they spread outward across the floor, covering the rest of the apartment in a matter of seconds. It was like being trapped inside a prism, the light reflecting and refracting off every surface.</p>
<p>Only Riku and Sora were left untouched. Bathed in rainbow lights, Sora looked on, brows furrowed, but otherwise unbothered by his surroundings.</p>
<p>"Sora?" Riku asked.</p>
<p>Sora just muttered to himself. "They can take your world. They can take your heart. Cut you loose from all you know. But if it's your fate…then every step forward will always be a step closer to home." His eyes settled on Riku, finally acknowledging his presence. "This was never our fate. This was never <em>our</em> home." He shook his head. "We need something else. Something that's more…<em>us</em>."</p>
<p>"Sora, what are you saying?"</p>
<p>Riku looked around. All across the apartment, the crystals were starting to cracks. Then the top of the walls shattered as the cracks spread towards them. Beyond the opening was a blank void.</p>
<p>"Sora, I—"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. On The Other Side</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kairi wakes up.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Kairi! What <em>happened</em> to you?"</p><p>Kairi winced when she opened her eyes. The entire side of her chest pulsed with pain, she was woozy and disoriented, conflicting memories clashing within her. "I—" Pushing through the pain, she forced herself to her feet, struggling to focus her vision.</p><p>She was back in Ansem the Wise's laboratory. His team was gathered around her, along with Aqua, Naminé, Donald, and Goofy.</p><p>"I saw them," she said. "Sora and Riku."</p><p>"You did?"</p><p>"Yeah. I think I was in Quadratum. At least I think it was. It was like how Riku described it—and that girl in the Final World. But—" She paused. "It was different. Riku said it was so <em>dark</em> and looming but it felt very—<em>grey</em>, mostly."</p><p>"Like that time we visited the past?" Goofy suggested.</p><p>"No, not <em>that</em> bad. Just—less vibrant, I guess. It was all very bland and unassuming. Cold and lifeless. I don't know how to explain it better than that." In spite of her best effort, the pain kept pounding at her; rather than collapse completely, she leaned against the computer, wishing the chair she'd spent a year on, exploring her memories, was still here. "Like the people in it weren't really there." She shuddered at the thought.</p><p>"Don't push yourself too hard," Aqua said. "You're in pain."</p><p>"What do you mean, 'lifeless'?" Ienzo asked. "You mean, like Nobodies?"</p><p>Kairi frowned. "It wasn't <em>exactly</em> like that. I could feel their hearts around me. I think it was their <em>minds</em>."</p><p>"They were—what, 'Mindless'?"</p><p>"More like <em>altered</em>. I felt it too." She forced her breathing to remain even, but all she wanted to do was run away from this place—as far as she could. "When I was in there, I could barely remember who I was, or how to exist. The only thing that felt clear was—Sora."</p><p>"Sora?"</p><p>Kairi nodded. "It's probably best if I explain from the start. When I arrived, I was suddenly in an apartment, and it was like I<em> knew</em> it was my home. I still knew my name, and—very little else. Like, I knew I lived there, but I had no idea where <em>there</em> was, or what I did in life, or—<em>anything</em>, really. But then I heard people moving in next door, and it was Sora and Riku."</p><p>"At least Riku found Sora, then," Ansem said. He sounded comforted by the thought.</p><p>"Yeah. They're together." Kairi didn't elaborate on the nature of their relationship; she wasn't sure it was her place to tell them. She'd always <em>known</em> how her two best friends felt about each other—better than either of them, she suspected. But it felt like their secret.</p><p>Besides, she wasn't sure if any of this was for real or not.</p><p>"So what happened then?" Aqua asked.</p><p>"Like I said, Sora was the only thing that felt clear in that place. Whenever he was around, the fog lifted, and small details filled in in my memory. But they weren't <em>my</em> memories. My mind felt sharper, but also, it was like this <em>role</em> was being forced upon me, and it kept changing, too. First a neighbor, then a rival, then a babysitter—" She paused, hoping they wouldn't press her on that "It's like I was being controlled by someone's whim."</p><p>"You think—it was Sora's whim?"</p><p>"I don't know. But—I think whatever is doing this, Riku got tangled up in it more deeply than me. Maybe because he went first, so he was in there longer. Or maybe—" She caught herself before she said more. <em>Or maybe because he was a lot more desperate to be </em>this<em> to Sora for so long</em>. She wondered if she could ever have snapped out of it, if say, she'd been with her grandmother again in that strange place. She finally decided to phrase it as, "Maybe his role makes him want to stay."</p><p>"But it didn't make <em>you</em> want to stay?" Ansem asked.</p><p>Kairi shook her head. "It's like I said—it didn't have anything to do with what <em>I</em> wanted."</p><p>"How did you break free?" Aqua asked. "And how did you come back?"</p><p>The question was innocent, but it still felt like criticism. Kairi's grasp on the Power of Waking was still shaky at best—maybe because she had been complicit with Sora's abuse of it. Yet as soon as she felt like she could open a portal, she'd insisted on going to Quadratum after her friends, in spite of Aqua's protests. She'd counted on them to bring her back, but here she was, alone.</p><p>"I'm not sure," she said. "Yozora said something, and it triggered my mind. Helped me remember who I really was. I tried telling Sora, because I thought I could help <em>him</em> in turn, but instead—" She shook her head. "He freaked out, and it's like I was thrown out." She patted the painful side of her chest; now that she thought about it, it was where Sora's gesture had hovered closest to her. Had <em>he</em> done this to her?</p><p>"Did you say Yozora?" Donald asked.</p><p>She looked at him, confused. "Yeah, why?"</p><p>Before Donald could answer, Goofy stepped in, pulling something from his pocket. "Does he look like that?" It was a book of some kind—a 'strategy guide', according to the cover, whatever that meant. On it was the image of a young man with silver hair and mismatched eyes.</p><p>"Well—" she said. "The Yozora I met was a lot younger than that, but he did look a lot like that."</p><p>"Younger?" Ansem asked.</p><p>"He was a kid. Like, six or seven years old, maybe?"</p><p>"Do you think it could have been a part of the illusion? The 'role' he was given, same as you?"</p><p>Kairi pondered the question for a moment. "I guess it could be. Sora and Riku looked older than I remember too. I think I might have too. Maybe it works in reverse."</p><p>"We had a running theory concerning this Yozora," Ansem said. "After what you told us about the nameless star, and my own theory concerning the world on the other side, I wonder if this Yozora, who we know as a character from fiction in one of the worlds, may not be a resident on the other side himself."</p><p>"And you think I met him? The real him?"</p><p>"It's a possibility."</p><p>"But—what does it mean, then? And why was he able to bring the real me back?"</p><p>"There's too much we don't know yet to answer that."</p><p>Kairi looked down in dismay. "I'm sorry," she said. "I wanted to help, but I couldn't do anything useful."</p><p>"That's not true, Kairi," Aqua said, sounding resolute. "Thanks to you, we know so much more about what's going on over there."</p><p>"Do you think I should go back? Gather more information?" Kairi tried to stand, but the pain was still too much.</p><p>"Take some time," Aqua said. "We need to figure out what happened to you—between Ansem's research and my magic, we might be able to find something. Maybe there's a way for you to go back, but make sure you're protected from that place's influence."</p><p>"We can also reach to the King," Donald offered. "Maybe he's found something out."</p><p>"Great idea," Aqua said.</p><p>"But in the meantime…" Kairi's voice wavered. "they'll be on their own?"</p><p>Naminé chimed up for the first time since Kairi had come to. "Not exactly. I've been trying to reach out to all three of you with my powers after you left, and I've made some progress. I think Riku can hear me, but it was like he didn't recognize me. It happened once before, in Castle Oblivion; he thought I was you, back then. I think his mind is trying to rationalize my voice, and turn it into something familiar."</p><p>"But you broke through it back then, right?" Kairi asked. She hadn't talked to Riku much about his time in Castle Oblivion—mostly out of respect for Sora, who still didn't remember most of it—but she thought she remembered him mentioning that part.</p><p>"I did, though it's more like Riku met me halfway."</p><p>"Naminé," Kairi insisted. "I believe in you. If anyone can reach out to them, you can."</p><p>Naminé smiled, visibly pleased, but she shook her head. "I don't think that's true. You were the light that guided Sora's heart back to his true memories once."</p><p>"I—was?"</p><p>"Yes. And I think you may be, again. Don't underestimate yourself—you were already able to break in and out of whatever is holding them."</p><p>"But—I don't even know what I can do to help now."</p><p>"First you need to rest up and heal," Aqua said. "You've been badly hurt, and it'll give us time to come up with a plan of action."</p>
<hr/><p>Yozora's eyes snapped open in a dim, all-too-familiar laboratory. The man in the black coat was there, staring at the screens spread out in front of him as he always seemed to be doing.</p><p>"I'm back," Yozora said to himself. His body felt like it had just been stretched mercilessly, his limbs feeling like cotton and the muscles of his chest sore and worn out. It took him a moment to gather himself, and when he was able to move, all he could do was curl into a ball against the flood of tiny <em>aches</em> he felt.</p><p>But at least they were adult limbs, adult muscles on an adult chest; the aches he felt were a small price to pay for that.</p><p>He finally managed to sit up, and glared at the man in the coat. "What the <em>hell</em>?"</p><p>The stranger tore himself from contemplating his screens. "Oh, good morning!" Yozora had almost forgotten how carefree he always seemed to sound, in spite of the gravity of some of the things this man had told him before.</p><p>Today, Yozora was in no mood to play along. "What did you <em>do</em> to me?" he asked, snarling. "Turn me into a <em>child</em>?"</p><p>"<em>I</em> didn't do it. That was all Sora. His imagination is running wilder than expected." "I'll admit, I didn't think it would all shape up like a romantic comedy. I mean, come on, Riku's his best friend! Who could have <em>guessed</em> this is how they <em>really</em> feel for each other, right?" "You think you know a guy."</p><p>"Stop kidding around! I thought I was keeping him <em>safe</em>, but—what <em>is</em> that? You told me—"</p><p>"Safe? Come on, now. You don't beat people up in your own dreams and turn them into crystal for <em>safety</em>."</p><p>"That's what you <em>told</em> me I had to do."</p><p>"Eh. I hinted. Implied, maybe. You did all this on your own."</p><p>"And what <em>is</em>…'this', exactly? Where was I?"</p><p>"Quadratum, obviously."</p><p>"That wasn't—"</p><p>"Not the one you know. The crystal you put Sora in is a prison, and it draws other people into it too. A chunk of the city has been drawn in." He paused. "Of course, no one's been able to warn the city's dearest <em>Commander</em>, because, well, anyone who got close enough to know was trapped inside. Same as you were."</p><p>"A prison," Yozora repeated. "And you made me create it. The entire <em>city</em>—"</p><p>"Will be fine. This won't last forever."</p><p>"Why? Why bother—"</p><p>"All in due time. But I guarantee you, none of the people of that gloomy city of yours will be harmed. In the long run, anyway. As soon as Sora's done."</p><p>"Then—how did <em>I</em> get out? And what about the girl? Kairi? What did he do to <em>her</em>?"</p><p>"You mean you don't remember?"</p><p>Frowning, Yozora searched through his memories, but the very thought of thinking back to his time being a child again was enough to make him shudder. He remembered being in bed, then suddenly being at Sora's side. Sora was upset, and Kairi wasn't there, even though Yozora had heard her say his name—it had woken him up.</p><p>Then the crystals had swallowed him up, and he'd come back here. Was that how it had felt for Sora? Painful and disorienting? Or had the prison's spell smoothed it out for him?</p><p>"I guess he didn't want you anymore," the man in black said. "Or the <em>idea</em> of you. Maybe he's done playing house for a while! Who knows what's going through his mind, really." He glanced at one of the screens behind him. "Well, I do. Or I have a pretty good grasp. Look, his new story's taking shape." He gasped dramatically. "Is he—? Oooh, it's going to get <em>good</em>!"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh, did I fail to mention this had been my Wandavision AU all along? My bad :3c</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Episode 4: Burning Up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A college medic falls for one of the students under his care. A king returns with new information. A commander finds out more about his enemy's true intentions.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Riku was pretty sure someone had written him into a bad porno out of <em>spite</em>.</p>
<p>He'd been working at the medic's office at Quadratum U for two years now. In that time, he'd already had to give physicals to a myriad of college kids on sports scholarships. It was no big deal—if anything, it was usually a lot more fun and relaxed than dealing with people who were sick and stressed out. At no point had he ever crossed any line of professional ethics regarding being around a bunch of athletes every semester, even if part of the exam involved them naked, or nearly so.</p>
<p>Until <em>this</em> guy from the blitzball team showed up and upended it all.</p>
<p>Sora looked older than most freshmen—almost Riku's age. Riku refrained from asking about it; he always thought it wasn't his place to pry into his patients' personal lives. But as Riku was examining him, the guy started volunteering information anyway about the sabbatical he took before he enlisted here, about how he traveled the world and all the things he saw.</p>
<p>Riku had to admit: there was <em>something</em> about the passion in his voice, the fervor in his eyes, that just drove Riku to listen to his stories with rapt attention. He didn't realize he was doing it, or why, until the part of the physical where the clothes come off. After that, though, Riku knew he was doomed to dealing with a crush.</p>
<p>It took biting his lips hard for the last ten minutes of the physical for Riku to remain completely professional, and he tasted blood on his tongue when he finally managed to relax his jaw. After Sora left, Riku took an unscheduled break, which mercifully nobody questioned him on.</p>
<p><em>At least I got to see him naked</em>, his inner voice went.</p>
<p>Part of the job meant they'd be seeing each other again—possibly even a lot. Riku knew he couldn't just lose his <em>mind</em> whenever that happened. He just had to find a coping mechanism that would help him save face.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Riku's coping mechanism, it turned out, was an utter <em>failure</em>. In his defense, there was something he had failed to account for; namely, that the cute guy would figure out a way to get Riku's number from his boss, and start texting him.</p>
<p>Not just texting him: <em>flirting</em> with him over texts. Riku wasn't sure he was reading the messages correctly at first, until Sora sent a <em>Remember when you hand your hand around my balls? Do you think we could do that again sometime?</em> in the middle of a conversation where Riku had somehow been led to deplore his current love life. That was about as unambiguous as it got.</p>
<p><em>With my luck, he's gonna be some kind of weird pervert</em>.</p>
<p>In spite of his own thoughts, Riku agreed to one date, and he thought it would just be an awkward dinner and little else; but then Sora was walking him back home, Riku was inviting him inside for a coffee that was definitely not <em>just</em> coffee, and the next thing he knew, Riku was waking up with Sora in his arms and <em>oh</em>. This was a <em>thing</em> now.</p>
<p>It wasn't even a <em>problem</em>, exactly—or at least it didn't <em>feel</em> like one. Ethically toeing the line, sure, given that he was in charge of assessing Sora's health for the blitzball team, but not altogether a transgression. And as far as Riku's own private life went, it was perhaps the best thing to happen to him in a long time, and he intended to ride that high for as long as it lasted.</p>
<p>Sora stirred slowly, smiled up at Riku softly, and Riku's heart fell. Hard and fast—just his style. "Good morning," Sora said, and Riku was too busy wondering if it was a <em>this was fun</em> 'good morning' or a <em>let's never speak of this again</em> 'good morning' or a <em>I never want to wake up in a different way</em> 'good morning'.</p>
<p>Riku was acutely aware which way <em>he</em> leaned. Even if it felt like a dangerous leap of faith.</p>
<p>He tiptoed around the question morning, and it was only when Sora kissed him goodbye on the way out that he blurted, "So—is this a thing now? Us?"</p>
<p>His question elicited a chuckle out of Sora. "I sure<em> hope</em> so. Otherwise what's the point of going on a date with you?"</p>
<p>He walked out on that remark, the last look he cast Riku holding an amused spark, but Riku was too busy floating on cloud nine to care about the light ribbing. <em>He'd said yes</em>.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"King Mickey has come back!"</p>
<p>Kairi sat up as soon as she heard Goofy's voice calling for her. Finally, some <em>answers</em>—she hoped so, anyway. Or barring that, some progress; if the King had nothing for them, then at the very least, they would have to decide on what to do next.</p>
<p>Everyone had gathered in the castle library, if only because Ansem's office wouldn't comfortably hold all of them, and Kairi was starting to feel tired of being in the lab—which was getting cramped up too anyway.</p>
<p>Ventus had come to Radiant Garden too; he and Terra checked up on Aqua every so often, since she was supposed to be the resident Master at the Land of Departure, were it not for Kairi dragging her away. Kairi had expressed guilt at being such a problematic apprentice the night before, but Aqua had just laughed it off and pointed out that, in hindsight, she and her friends had been far worse for their Master.</p>
<p>Between them, Ansem's team of researchers, and Donald and Goofy, Kairi could barely see Mickey. "Did you find anything about the other side?" she asked as she wedged herself between Aqua and Ven.</p>
<p>"I did," Mickey said. "I had some help from these two."</p>
<p>Behind him stood two people Kairi recognized—mostly from watching the data from Sora's fights that the Restoration Committee was still studying. They were members of Organization XIII—or <em>former</em> members, judging by their lack of black coats and golden eyes.</p>
<p>"These are Lauriam and Elrena," Mickey said. "Long before they became Nobodies and joined the Organization, they were Keyblade wielders, a long time ago; same as you, Ven."</p>
<p>Most eyes in the room turned to Ventus, who squirmed under the attention. "But I don't remember anything from that time."</p>
<p>"We do," Lauriam said. "Some of it, anyway."</p>
<p>"Thanks to them, I was able to discover how Xehanort found out about the world on the other side," Mickey continued. "He tracked down the path of the Foretellers, the lost Keyblade Masters of long ago."</p>
<p>"The Lost Masters?" Aqua asked. "I thought they were a legend."</p>
<p>"So was the Keyblade War," Kairi pointed out. Find out that her grandmother's bedtime stories had a much older origin than even she probably realized had been a shock.</p>
<p>Mickey nodded. "The Foretellers vanished before the Keyblade War, and Xehanort found out where they went—to the other side. They chose Keyblade Wielders to replace them and lead the World into the new age. Lauriam and Ventus were two of those; two more, I couldn't find much about. The fifth, Brain, founded the dynasty of Masters at Scala ad Caelum, and later, the Land of Departure. Master Eraqus himself was a descendant of that Master."</p>
<p>"Some of Brain's reports was still within the archives at Scala," Lauriam said. "He vowed to become a virus."</p>
<p>"A <em>virus</em>?" Aqua asked, her shock echoing Kairi's feelings perfectly.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <em>So, do you think you'll make it to our next game?</em>
</p>
<p>Riku rolled his eyes at Sora's text. <em>It's literally my job to be there</em>, he sent back.</p>
<p>
  <em>But are you actually gonna WATCH it? You usually don't.</em>
</p>
<p>That somehow felt like a loaded question. <em>I'm usually not dating the team's new star player</em>, he sent back.</p>
<p>
  <em>Flattery will get you nowhere!</em>
</p>
<p><em>You're probably getting me a VIP seat as we speak.</em> Riku knew Sora well enough to guess his motives by now. Besides, even if Sora wasn't the most obvious man Riku had ever met, he was <em>kind</em> of friends with the people who handled ticket sales at the university stadium, and they'd tipped him off that Sora had put in a request for a reserved seat—the 'family and friends' kind.</p>
<p>
  <em>You got me. So is that a yes? Because if you don't come, I might be so heartbroken that I'll need a medic right away ;)</em>
</p>
<p>Riku laughed out loud at that, earning him a weird glance from passersby around him. <em>Sure, I'll come along to your big game, you cliché jock.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>I'm not cliché yet, I haven't made you wear my letterman jacket.</em>
</p>
<p>It was probably a joke, but the thought made Riku choke on his own breath nonetheless. Wearing something of Sora's, being marked as <em>his</em>—now <em>that</em> was something he could get behind. If only he knew how to say that to Sora without instantly dying of shame; but tragically, he was stuck being forced to suffer in silence as his thoughts spiraled from wearing Sora's jacket to everything else they could be doing <em>while</em> he was wearing it. At least it looked like a slow day at work.</p>
<p>He was more or less in control by the time he headed to the stadium to meet with Sora before the game. The locker room was no mystery to him, as a team medic, but coming here to meet a specific player was certainly a novelty, and when Sora all but threw himself into Riku's arms when he saw him, all the while a few of his teammates were wolf-whistling at him, Riku's face went a deep scarlet—especially considering Sora had been halfway through getting changed for the game, leaving him in a notable state of undress.</p>
<p>"I'm so glad you came!" Sora said. Riku pretended not to hear the crude innuendo one of his teammates made in the background.</p>
<p>"Yeah, well, I know I'm new at being your boyfriend, but I'm pretty sure it's my duty to support you."</p>
<p>"Consider your duty properly fulfilled," Sora said with a grin. "I'll be sure to show my gratitude later." Riku choked on his own spit at those words, but in typical Sora fashion, he went on, oblivious, "I know! Tell you what, when I score the winning goal"—a gentle, yet cocky smile came to his lips—"I'll do…this!" He raised both thumbs up high above his head. "That means the goal's dedicated to you!"</p>
<p>Riku chuckled. "Dork," he said, but he felt himself blush anyway, and Sora was more than happy to kiss his heated cheeks until they became ever hotter. Riku was pretty sure he would have spontaneously combusted, if not for the coaches calling the team for one last huddle before the game started, forcing Sora to step away.</p>
<p>That meant it was time for Riku to head to his seat too. In spite of spending a decent amount of time at the stadium for work, he had barely spent any time in the stands until now—and not a single moment in the VIP section, built like a balcony overlooking the entire playing field. This was the place for university officials and potential sponsors, not a guy like <em>him</em>. Until now, anyway.</p>
<p>The game hadn't started yet, but the view was already breathtaking as the spherical field began to fill with water. He'd never really taken the time to feel properly awed at the wonder of engineering that went into making the sport possible until now; but then again, that was just the sort of thing being with Sora helped him do. He always shone a light on Riku's world, filling him with new things to feel new love for.</p>
<p>The field finished filling, the perfect sphere of water hovering in the air over its suspension, and the teams filed onto the field under the crowd's cheers. Not many people were calling Sora's name—he <em>was</em>, after all, still just a rookie on his first game—but Riku made sure to make up for that all by himself. When Sora turned to smile up at him, it felt almost like he'd heard him shouting his name in encouragement; he then raised one thumbs-up at Riku, like a small reminder of his promise in the locker room.</p>
<p>Both teams got in position for the game, and to Riku's dismay, Sora was left on the bench for the first half. Without him to occupy Riku's mind, he was cruelly reminded of just <em>why</em> he'd only rarely gone to games before, and even Sora's new influence wasn't enough to change his attitude on the sport as a whole. It didn't help that, as far as Riku could tell, both teams were an even match, making for a lot of back and forth at the center of the field, but relatively little in terms of dramatic action.</p>
<p>The score remained at a tie until half-time, and when Riku came down to see Sora in the locker room, he was sulking on a bench. Just then, however, one of the coaches walked up to him. "You're gonna be up, new guy. Let's see if you can live up to the potential you showed at practice."</p>
<p>Sora's face lit up instantly. "You hear that, Riku? I'm gonna be a <em>real</em> striker!"</p>
<p>"You already were," Riku pointed out. "But I'm happy for you." He reached for Sora's cheek and leaned down into a quick, tender kiss. "Give 'em hell!" he whispered, before heading back up to the stands as half-time drew to a close.</p>
<p>There were a few other substitutions when the teams filed back in, though none as dramatic as bringing in a complete rookie as one of the strikers without being forced to. Sora drew most of the attention when he and his team dove into the water, including from the commentators heard over the loudspeakers.</p>
<p>But as the game started again, Sora proved his inclusion to be a valuable one for the team. Within just a couple minutes, he had put more pressure on the other side's goalie than his team had for the entire first half. Of course, Riku supposed the rest of his team had <em>something</em> to do with it too, but he didn't know enough about the game to figure out the fine details. Plus, he was a little bit biased here.</p>
<p>Even as Sora led the Quadratum U offense, though, the defense was tiring out. Halfway through the second half, the other team scored a goal against them; but then, right in the next play, Sora got the ball and managed a magistral goal to bring the score back to a tie.</p>
<p>The teams fell back into balance after that, Sora dishing out the pressure, but the defense on both sides too strong to cave in.</p>
<p>Until, that is, a stray shot sailed high over the playing field, fast enough for the ball to break out of the water completely. Most of the teams waited for it to come down, but Sora raced up, slicing through the water with a graceful ease Riku had never expected in him. He too broke the surface, launching into the air and flipping right on time to catch the ball with a well-placed shot.</p>
<p>The ball sailed away, but just as Sora started his descent, one of the defense players came up to meet him. He'd been trying to catch Sora before he got to the ball, but had been too slow; now, his momentum carried him straight into Sora, their bodies colliding in midair before crashing back down into the water.</p>
<p>Gasps erupted from the crowd, and Riku was on his feet before he could think. Sora lay in the water, unconscious, and the game ground to a halt right after a goal was added to the score, a result of Sora's perfect shot. Riku couldn't care less about the game though, not when Sora was hurt.</p>
<p>He wasn't on duty right now, but as soon as he announced himself as one of the team's medics—and the one who personally followed Sora to boot—he was allowed into the tight-knit circle of paramedics who had carried Sora out of the water. With blitzball injuries, the scariest part was the risk of drowning, but Sora was breathing normally, so the worst was past. Still, his leg was bent an an unnatural angle—enough to make Riku wince in sympathetic pain just from seeing it.</p>
<p>"Sora?" he called gently as he knelt down. "Can you hear me?"</p>
<p>Sora looked up at him, and then, against all odds, he actually <em>smiled</em>. "Wasn't that <em>cool</em>?"</p>
<p>Riku blinked, confused. "Cool? You probably broke your leg!"</p>
<p>"Hey now," Sora admonished him. "I scored the winning goal. Worth it." Weakly, he brought both his hands up in front of him in a double thumbs-up. "As promised," he added.</p>
<p>"Sora—you could have been hurt a lot worse."</p>
<p>"Yeah, but don't be sad! I'm fine! I'm gonna be a <em>star</em>!"</p>
<p>"<em>Sora—</em>"</p>
<p>"Do I at least get a kiss to cheer me up?"</p>
<p><em>This man is insane</em>, Riku's inner voice went. But he leaned in and pressed his lips to Sora's forehead anyway.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"Just sit tight. We're getting to my favorite part."</p>
<p>The utter glee the man in the coat showed at the events happening on-screen was baffling to Yozora. It wasn't like he'd never been to a movie with his friends before where they'd be rowdy and make fun of what was happening—but then again, those movies were fictional. This was, if not the whole truth, at least happening to real <em>people</em>.</p>
<p>"Oh, don't worry, they're not <em>really</em> real. From a certain point of view, anyway."</p>
<p>A gasp escaped Yozora's lips. Could the man hear his thoughts? "What do you mean?"</p>
<p>"They come from the other side of the world. To them, you are fiction—from a video game, I believe. And the same is true in reverse." The man turned to Yozora, though his face remained hidden under his hood. "Really? You've never <em>played</em> those games? There's like a <em>dozen</em> of them. You gotta keep <em>up</em>, man!"</p>
<p>Yozora squirmed in his seat. He wasn't sure why he didn't just up and <em>leave</em>, except for a strange sense of duty. This man, whoever he was, was dangerous, and Yozora doubted that he, his friends, and his world would be forever safe from him.</p>
<p>And perhaps, he owed Sora, after being the one who put him in this situation.</p>
<p>"So our worlds see each other as fiction," Yozora said. "But he's clearly <em>real</em>. I talked to him."</p>
<p>"Yeah, but like, if fictional characters can show up, what even <em>is</em> real, <em>man</em>?"</p>
<p>His mocking tone was enough to make Yozora's anger flare up. "All right, enough of your jokes. What do you <em>want</em>? And who are you, really?"</p>
<p>"On their side, they used to call me the Master of Masters. I <em>could</em> tell you my name, but then I'd have to kill you!" He said it as though it was a joke—but he still didn't volunteer his name to Yozora. "And what I want?" He waved at the screen. "Isn't it obvious?"</p>
<p>"Has anyone told you that <em>nothing</em> about you was obvious?"</p>
<p>"Only most of them." The Master paused, as if for laughter. "It's simple, really. Xehanort was small potatoes. He couldn't even figure out <em>how</em> to make Sora's heart properly fall into darkness. All he could think of was making him drown in the dream abyss." He scoffed. "I mean, he was trying to start the Keyblade War and plunge the whole <em>World</em> in darkness, but one guy's too much. What <em>is</em> this, amateur hour?"</p>
<p>Yozora was lost amidst the unfamiliar names and terms, but he latched onto the part he <em>did</em> understand. "You want to make him fall into darkness?"</p>
<p>"You don't take a hero's heart like Sora's by force. You corrupt it. You whittle it down."</p>
<p>Yozora frowned. "And—then what?"</p>
<p>"You <em>blow it up</em>! Metaphorically." He tilted his head. "If I can get Sora right where I want him, I could blow open a whole new <em>World</em> of possibilities! Imagine this: a hero of Light, who will <em>fight</em> and <em>fight</em> and <em>fight</em> because if he even stops smiling for even a <em>moment</em>, he will <em>collapse</em>! Why, I'd say <em>that's</em> the kind of hero who might banish the Darkness for good!"</p>
<p>"That's—what you want? To get rid of the darkness?"</p>
<p>"They and I have been at war for my whole life, you know." He said it matter-of-factly, but something about his tone creeped Yozora out. As if there was something <em>funny</em> about it all.</p>
<p>"And you're telling me this…why?"</p>
<p>The Master shrugged. "Well, I used to have apprentices around to <em>marvel</em> at my <em>genius</em>, but they all had to go and do their thing, so you'll do for now." He turned back to the screen. "Oh, look, we're finally getting to the good part. Sora's getting <em>creative.</em>"</p>
<p>Yozora narrowed his eyes at the back of the Master's head. That answer didn't fly for even a <em>minute</em>, as far as he could tell—there had to be some ulterior motive behind his presence here. He doubted he could find out just by asking the Master, though.</p>
<p>Which meant, if he wanted to stop his plans, the surest way to do so was to get out of here. And that suited Yozora just fine.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Episode 5: Jolly Sailor Bold</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Leviathan's navigator has a question for his Captain.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Full sail, men! Let's catch this wind and sail to our next adventure!"</p><p>"Aye aye, Cap'n Sora!"</p><p>Riku blinked in the sunlight, watching the Leviathan's crew mill about their tasks. As the ship's navigator, most of his work of plotting their route was already done—now he just needed to make sure his captain kept the ship on track.</p><p>Yet this morning, his brain was barely letting him focus on what should have been second nature to him. It was like he kept hitting a wall, or like he kept waking up, his thoughts not quite coming together as they should. Every time he looked at the sea, he had the urge to look around for a child he knew wasn't there. Every time he looked at Sora, he wanted to dance to a tune that was no sea shanty. Every time one of their sailor so much as tripped, Riku felt the urge to rush to their side and check them for injuries, even though he was no medic.</p><p>It made no sense—and was downright infuriating. Something was seriously <em>wrong</em> with him; it was like someone else's thoughts had been shoved into his brain.</p><p>"Something the matter, Navigator Riku?"</p><p>Riku snapped to attention at Sora's voice. "No, captain!" He couldn't make it through two words without stuttering.</p><p>Sora's attitude shifted, his bravado receding to let his worry shine through. "Riku, if something's wrong—"</p><p>"I know the rule," Riku said, more firmly this time. "This ship runs on happy faces." When he looked at Sora, he managed a convincing smile—not exactly a challenge, all things considered. Smiling at Sora had always been easy, in a way it perhaps shouldn't be with one's captain; but it had been long before they <em>were</em> captain and crewman, and it wasn't something Riku could—or <em>would</em>—change.</p><p>Sora smiled in return. "All right," he said, and turned his gaze to the horizons. "Why don't you keep me company a little? I could use someone to talk to while I'm at the wheel."</p><p>It didn't sound like an order, but Riku couldn't exactly refuse anyway—not that he wanted to. "Of course, Captain. What is it?"</p><p>"Does it have to be <em>something</em>? Can't I just want to talk to you?"</p><p>"O-of course you can."</p><p>"Where did we go wrong?"</p><p>Riku blinked in surprise. "Captain?"</p><p>"When did I become 'Captain' and stop being 'Sora' to you?"</p><p><em>Never</em>, Riku wanted to say. <em>Or maybe you always were</em>. "I think when you became captain of the Leviathan," he answered instead.</p><p>"And if I don't <em>want</em> to just be your captain? What will it take?"</p><p>Riku stared on, flabbergasted, his heart pounding at the mere implication. "Sora?"</p><p>Sora grinned at his dismay. "That's more like it," he said with a satisfied grin. "What do you think? Would you have dinner in my cabin tonight? With me? Just like old times?"</p><p>He didn't <em>have</em> a cabin in the 'old times', but Riku refrained from pointing it out. "I—I'd love that, actually."</p>
<hr/><p>"A <em>virus</em>?" Aqua asked, suddenly alarmed. "Do you think he has something to do with all this?"</p><p>"Difficult to say," Mickey said, "but hold on; there's more. The Foretellers probably knew how to go to the other side because their own Master went there, long before they ever did. He was only known as the Master of Masters, and the Keyblade Xehanort carried used to be his."</p><p>"And in Brain's reports," Lauriam said, looking almost annoyed at the interruption, "it sounded a lot like the Master of Masters' plans are what he was trying to disrupt by becoming this 'virus'. But that just raises more questions. The Master of Masters' primary goal was fighting the darkness; so why did Brain want to stop his plans?" He looked away, lost in thought, and Kairi could relate to his pain: both Sora and Riku had made many plans in the past without consulting her, and all she'd ever been able to do was welcome them home with a smile and a gentle hand.</p><p>Still, if that experience had taught her anything, it was to believe in them. Even if it hurt.</p><p>"He was your friend, wasn't he?" Kairi asked. "You have to trust he was doing the right thing."</p><p>"I do. With all my heart."</p><p>"What do you mean, Kairi?" Mickey asked.</p><p>"If the Master of Masters was this ancient, powerful Keyblade Master, with these incredibly complex plans to fight the darkness, and he had access to the other side—" Kairi paused, sorting through her own thoughts. "It's unlikely this is a coincidence, right?"</p><p>"But that still doesn't explain <em>why</em>," Ansem said. "If all he wants is to fight Darkness, then why hurt people—"</p><p>"With all due respect, sir," Kairi said, summoning all the courage she had to look him in the eye, "you also had good intentions when you were trying to understand how the heart works. That didn't stop people from being turned into lab rats." At the stunned look on Ansem's face, she shrugged. "Axel and I had a lot of time to talk to each other when we were in training."</p><p>"I see your point," Ansem said. "Someone who has been fighting a war this long may just have lost touch with right and wrong, confused them with what does and doesn't suit their goals. I was that way too, when all I wanted was to take revenge on the Organization."</p><p>"It's plausible," Ienzo chimed up, thoughtful. "Though it begs the question of what his endgame is, and what else he has in store. I doubt someone as old and meticulous would leave such a glaring loose end as all of us, who may be capable of stopping him."</p><p>"You think he could come after <em>us</em>, too?" Kairi asked.</p><p>He shrugged. "It's what I would have done, when I was in the Organization."</p><p>"We won't let it come to that," Aqua declared, resolute.</p><p>Kairi wished she could echo her confidence, but all she felt was worry. If the Master did come for them, who would be left to rescue Sora and Riku?</p>
<hr/><p>"Where are you even <em>taking</em> us, Sora?"</p><p>Sora tilted his head. "My cabin? For dinner?" He broke into a sly smile. "Did you already forget, Riku?"</p><p>"I mean the <em>ship</em>. What are we even going after?"</p><p>"<em>Adventure</em>, Riku! Why <em>else</em> would anyone be a <em>pirate</em>?"</p><p>"Usually, because they were branded a pirate after committing something the English crown considers illegal."</p><p>Sora pouted up at him. "You're <em>no fun at all</em>." He closed the captain's cabin door, turned to Riku, and crossed his arms, raising his chin defiantly. "Fine, then. Why did <em>you</em> become a pirate?"</p><p>"Because <em>you</em> did," Riku replied automatically. Then he gasped, realizing what he'd just <em>said</em>, his cheeks burning furiously. "I mean—"</p><p>"You meant exactly that," Sora said, smug and satisfied.</p><p>Riku sighed, but there was no point denying it. "Yeah, I did."</p><p>Sora walked forward then, creeping into Riku's space until his breath ghosted on the skin of Riku's chest where his shirt left it exposed. "I wish you could tell me how you feel more often."</p><p>"But—you're the Captain."</p><p>"I'm also right here."</p><p>He tilted his head up, meeting Riku's eyes, and Riku knew he could just lean in and kiss him then. He knew Sora wanted him to, and he knew <em>he</em> wanted to; his heart was pounding, his breathing short, his brain giddy from the proximity. Things that felt a lot like <em>panic</em>, too.</p><p>Riku cleared his throat and sidled away, and just like that, the moment passed. "You're avoiding my question," he said. "Where're we going?"</p><p>"I—have a plan." Sora moved to the dinner table, already set for two, and lit candles on it, which struck Riku as simultaneously impractical, extraneous, and horribly romantic.He tried his best not to read too much into it as he sat down, though. "Treasure that could set us for life, buried by the English fleet on a remote island."</p><p>"Set for life?" Riku teased. "No more adventure, then?" He didn't want to press on Sora talking about an <em>us</em>, in case it was accidental.</p><p>"Not because we <em>need</em> to, anyway."</p><p>This time Sora's use of the plural was impossible to ignore. "I'm not sure everyone in the crew would happily keep risking their lives for adventure."</p><p>"I don't mean the rest of the crew, though," Sora said. "I mean, of course, we'll share the treasure, but—for the rest—" He paused. "I was mostly curious what <em>you</em> thought about it. If you'd want to stick around. For…adventures."</p><p>Riku felt heat creep up his cheeks, but Sora was blushing too, so perhaps it wasn't so bad. "I already became a pirate for you," he said. "I suppose I could <em>remain</em> a pirate for you, too."</p><p>The hunger in Sora's eyes wasn't brought on by the food in front of them. And that's when it hit Riku: this wasn't just <em>a moment</em>. This was Riku, being too blind to see his pining had been reciprocated for however long they'd spent on the sea, and finally realizing his mistake.</p><p>When Riku got up, Sora tracked his every movement with his eyes, growing darker as Riku walked closer. When Riku bent down to bring their lips together, he tasted of sea salt, and freedom, and <em>adventure</em>.</p>
<hr/><p>Riku supposed he could take the crew's teasing, if it meant waking up in the Leviathan's captain's cabin more often. They were merciless, but good-natured, and Riku felt buoyed by their acceptance as much as by Sora's reciprocation of his feelings. He could have sailed the waves himself—no need for a ship.</p><p>Still, there was work to do, and Riku didn't stop being a navigator because of what had happened over dinner with Sora. They had a treasure to find—something to set them for life. And if Sora still wanted adventure afterwards, Riku figured they could go for it, knowing they had a place to fall back to if they ever needed it.</p><p>Sora gave him their true heading, and Riku put his entire heart into guiding them there. And whenever he didn't need to work on navigation, he was by Sora's side, basking openly in the glow of their shared feelings. He had never thought this could ever happen, and as a result, he'd never considered how <em>amazing</em> it would feel if it did. But here he was, on a mission to secure a future that was <em>theirs</em>, and he was <em>loved</em>.</p><p>It took three weeks to reach the deserted island—a small, uncharted thing, barely more than a sandbank with a few trees that somehow grew on it in spite of the rough conditions. Three weeks of bliss and anticipation, of infinite possibilities and boundless optimism, of smiles and kisses and tender touches, all rolled into one singular, thrilling experience.</p><p>Then the island came into view—but it wasn't the only thing of note on the horizon. A British ship was sailing these waters as well. At first, it didn't look like it was flying in their direction, though Sora had the crew change the colors they were flying to pass as an allied ship.</p><p>When the ship changed course and turned towards them, Riku thought they were just hailing a friendly ship after a long time at sea. But then more British ships appeared in the first ship's wake—first one, then two, then four. None of which were merchant ships, or mere patrols.</p><p>It was soon impossible to deny their actual intent. "Get to your positions!" Sora shouted. "Man the guns!"</p><p>The Leviathan was the fastest ship by far, and its cannons deadly; outmaneuvering an enemy ship was well within their ability. Sora expertly guided the ship to the enemy's flank, sinking one of the ships on the side of the formation. But by that time, the other enemy ships had fanned out, surrounding the Leviathan on two sides.</p><p>Sora pushed his crew as far as they'd go; with the Leviathan's cannons alone, they damaged one more ship, and crippled another completely. But sooner or later, they had to face the reality of their position.</p><p>"Prepare to be boarded!" Sora shouted, drawing his cutlass.</p><p>Riku posted himself at Sora's back, sword in one hand, pistol in another, but he couldn't help his arms from shaking. He knew their crew was strong, and fiercely loyal—but enough to fend off three ships' worth of soldiers?</p>
<hr/><p>"You know," the Master of Masters said, "I have a good feeling about this one. Maybe it'll be happily ever after for these crazy kids this time around."</p><p>"You don't believe that," Yozora retorted. "Why even pretend?"</p><p>"It's called <em>willing suspension of disbelief</em>. What else is the point of watching such a good show? Come <em>on</em>, now!"</p><p>"I'm not interested in the fiction. You told me what your goal was. Why should I go along with it?"</p><p>The Master turned towards him. "How much do you know about Xehanort?"</p><p>Yozora frowned. "You mentioned him. He was the man Sora fought against before he showed up here, right? He—" He wracked his brains for details, though the Master's rambles were sometimes hard to retain. "Started some kind of war?"</p><p>"The one and only. Before the whole Keyblade War party, though, he did a lot of other things. The man studied the heart for a time—he found ways to separate the heart and body, and gave birth to Heartless and Nobodies in the process. The Heartless already existed, of course, but he breathed new life into the little fellas."</p><p>"Your <em>point</em>," Yozora urged him.</p><p>"Part of his purpose in studying those creatures was helping others who had suffered similar fates. Oh, sure, it was never his <em>main</em> intent—at best it was means to an end. He needed hearts of light, but he'd done such a good job sowing chaos that ultimately, he needed to fix the damage he'd caused before he could proceed."</p><p>Yozora frowned. "And—"</p><p>"Well, this whole world Sora's made. He pulled people from Quadratum in, created a whole bubble where they're given new identities. New names, and with those names, roles that suit Sora's needs."</p><p>"But Riku still has his name. So did Kairi. So did I."</p><p>"Yes, because Sora knew you—or his subconscious did, anyway. Not so much for the rest of them."</p><p>"New names," Yozora repeated. "Like he's stripping their names from them?"</p><p>"<em>Exactly</em>," the Master said, his tone suddenly—and surprisingly—dark.</p><p>A horrified shudder crept down Yozora's spine; his implication was obvious. "What you're implying—it can't be done."</p><p>"It cant?"</p><p>The Master cooed disappointedly, but Yozora ignored his theatrics. "In your story, Xehanort was trying to fix the damage <em>he'd</em> done. Is that what <em>you're</em> trying to do?"</p><p>"And if I am?" Again, that dark tone returned, sounding almost like a threat.</p><p>Before the Master could move, Yozora had his sword and crossbow in his hands. "If you're the one who harmed her—"</p><p>"Whoa!" The Master raised his hands. "Settle down there, I'm just—"</p><p>"I know you don't have a Keyblade anymore," Yozora said. "And even if you did, you know what I can do to Keyblade wielders. So I'm leaving, and you're not going to stop me."</p><p>For a second, the Master was silent, then he shrugged. "That's all?"</p><p>"That's—"</p><p>"All right. You can go. It's not like you can break into the crystal; you know what'll happen if you try. So knock yourself out."</p><p>"You're right," Yozora said, stepping back slowly towards the lab's sole exit. "Good thing I'm not doing that," he said, and darted out of the room.</p><p>After working with him—or perhaps he'd been working <em>for</em> him, he now realized—Yozora knew the insides of the Master of Master's lair far better than he felt comfortable admitting to himself. Still, it came with an advantage: he knew exactly where to go next. Sora came from the other side, as had his friends—and Kairi had been sent back there after Sora had kicked both her and Yozora out of his fantasy world. Where, Yozora hoped, there were more of Sora's friends waiting.</p><p>The notion of a world on the other side still felt beyond him, but he knew the Master had a way to cross over, one he and his associates had used many times over the time Yozora had known them. It was a kind of portal, a pink spheres surrounded by translucent spikes. It also required a Keyblade to activate.</p><p>Gripping his sword, Yozora hoped that enough of the power he'd absorbed from Sora's Keyblade lingered from their fight to let him through.</p>
<hr/><p>"Up."</p><p>Riku woke up to the gruff voice of a prison guard, a bayonet jabbed into his side just hard enough to prick at his skin, and the feeling of Sora's body curled into his arms. A heady mélange, full of contradicting emotions, though the knowledge of what he was waking up <em>to</em> made it difficult not to focus on the less pleasant ones in the lot.</p><p>The battle had been fierce, but they had lost. Ultimately, the Leviathan was taken, a prize to be paraded and passed around; as for its crew, the surviving pirates were now split across just three cells in the Port Royal jail. Their trial had been summarily expedited, as it tended to happen; now they were just waiting for the inevitable.</p><p>When Sora stirred, he brushed Riku's cheek with his thumb. At least they had these last few days together. "Don't worry," Sora said. "This isn't how it ends."</p><p>"Sora—" Riku couldn't resent him for his optimism, not it was what he loved most about Sora, but he found it hard to share that feeling right now. "I don't—"</p><p>"Shh," Sora said. "Whatever you have to say, wait until we're safe together to say it."</p><p>"I said <em>up</em>!"</p><p>The rest of the crew was done filing out of the cell, clasped in chains one by one and held at gunpoint the whole way. Really, it was almost flattering just how many soldiers the Governor had tasked with keeping them in check—though Riku would have preferred to be underestimated, so he could break free.</p><p>He stood up first, ever willing to stand between Sora and danger. "Here," he said quietly, offering his hands.</p><p>As the guard came with fetters for Riku's arms, Sora threw himself at him from the side with a ferocious roar. He almost took the man down with his bare hands, too; but just then, two more soldiers came in, cracking the butt of their rifles hard across Sora's back and his side. He fell to his knees with a sharp cry of pain, and Riku lurched forward to help him, only to get the barrel of a rifle stuck under his neck.</p><p>"We're not <em>playing</em>," the guard threatened.</p><p>Riku paled, and stopped moving—stopped <em>breathing</em>, until he was in chains and Sora was on his feet, tied up behind him.</p><p>"Sora, are you—" he tried asking before the guards forced them all to move. All Sora replied with was a mumble.</p><p>The distance they had to walk was dreadfully short, yet it might as well have been miles to the courtyard outside the fort—and the gallows built on there. The pirates were made to line up, each of them under a noose, a collapsible platform under their feet, ready to give way.</p><p>"I—" Sora blinked, suddenly looking at a loss, as if their situation was only just now sinking in. "This wasn't supposed to end like this," he said, voice heavy with disbelief.</p><p>The executioner came in front of Riku, and secured rope around his neck. When he tightened the knot, Riku felt a rush of dreadful certainty. This was <em>happening</em>. He turned to look when the executioner moved on to Sora.</p><p>Sora met his gaze, and his smile forced Riku to remain silent. "You know the rules," Sora said. "No sad faces on <em>my</em> ship!"</p><p><em>Your ship? We're not </em>on<em> your ship</em>, Riku thought, a disturbingly intrusive thought. He didn't want his last thought of Sora to be a resentful one. Even if—</p><p>Riku chased the thought away before it could take shape. "Sora, I lo—"</p><p>The executioner pulled a lever, the floorboards fell beneath Riku's feet, and reality snapped away.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. A Darkness In The Light</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yozora escapes to the other side.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Yozora woke up, he was drowning. His body seized up even as his lungs filled with water, but when he thrashed around, he fell backwards, coughing and sputtering, dazed and thoroughly confused.</p>
<p>A <em>fountain</em>. He'd landed in a fountain. His cheeks heated up from embarrassment at emptying his lungs over something so trivial, but at least he wasn't going to die from recklessly hopping into a portal while trying to escape a crazy mastermind.</p>
<p>He finally got his breathing under control, his chest still burning and tears stinging in his eyes, but he pushed the pain away and forced himself to his feet—though he needed to grip onto the aforementioned fountain to keep steady, which he only did begrudgingly after the thing had almost killed him.</p>
<p>The Master had said that, to Sora and his friends, Yozora was from a video game. Maybe the reverse held true, but if it did, this place wasn't from anything Yozora had ever heard of or seen for himself; he was sure he'd remember a place so bright, with such a distinct castle looming over the town. Then again, he hadn't had time for trivialities like playing games in quite some time. Not since she—</p>
<p>Yozora shook his head, trying to chase the thought away. Yet it was impossible <em>not</em> to think of her, when the Master had tried to use her as a bargaining chip to keep Yozora in line.</p>
<p>But the truth was, Yozora didn't trust the Master to help him with her—not really. Nothing he'd done pointed to him having anyone's wellbeing in mind; only the destruction of darkness seemed important to the Master of Masters.</p>
<p>Yozora wondered how to go about finding anyone connected to Sora. This town didn't look nearly as big as Quadratum, but it was still big enough to get lost in; and worse, there was no guarantee this town was the right place to be in the first place. Maybe they lived in a completely different place. And what about the Master? Would his portal bring him to this same location? Was he hot on Yozora's trail? Yozora hadn't noticed anyone giving him chase, but it was still a possibility.</p>
<p>This fountain square looked to be on the outskirts of the town: its walls stood a short distance away, with a single, gaping entrance right down the road. Yozora figured checking the town was as good a place to start searching as any.</p>
<p>He didn't make it very far, however. He'd barely taken a few steps past the town gates and onto an elaborate town square that a series of squeaky, high-pitched noises rang out in warning, and bursts of light surrounded him. Yozora drew his weapons, though he wasn't sure how to fight something this intangible. After a second, however, they exploded, driving him back.</p>
<p>"What the—"</p>
<p>Two men showed up just then, wearing matching uniforms. One carried a massive axe, the other a spear, and they were hulking masses of muscles, towering over Yozora.</p>
<p>Yozora assessed them, and those strange light-based weapons, and sneered. He was sure he <em>could</em> take them, but he lowered his weapons anyway.</p>
<p>"I'm not a threat," he said. "I'm looking for a girl named Kairi, or anyone who can tell me where to find her." The guards traded a look, and Yozora's hopes rose a little. "Do you know her? Can you bring me to her?"</p>
<p>"Yeah," one of the guards said, though he kept his spear raised. "We can bring you to her all right." Yozora didn't like his tone much, and he was pretty sure he was omitting something, but he nodded.</p>
<p>"All right. Take me there."</p>
<p>Yozora didn't expect to be taken straight to the castle that overlooked the town, but that was where they headed, both guards keeping their weapons at the ready. Yozora didn't intend to fight them—not until he was inside, anyway—but their caution still amused him. He doubted it would help them, if it came down to it.</p>
<p>They led him to what appeared to be a library, and Yozora glanced back at them, confused. The guards ignored him, however. "Ansem!" one of them said. "City's defense system detected an intruder. He says he wants to talk to the princess."</p>
<p>"Does he now?" An older man in a lab coat appeared from behind the shelves, casting Yozora a curious look. "And what is this intruder's name?"</p>
<p>"Commander Yozora of Quadratum," Yozora said. "Can <em>you</em> take me to—"</p>
<p>Before he could finish his question, he heard a gasp from behind the shelves—or rather, several gasps. Ignoring his escort, Yozora dashed forward; when he got past the bookshelves, however, he skidded to a stop, unable to process what he was seeing. Specifically, the honest-to-goodness anthropomorphized animals who stood in the crowd gathered here as if that was the least unusual thing possible. Even more so, the way two of those three looked at him with wide eyes.</p>
<p>"Gawrsh, it really <em>is</em> Yozora!" the tallest one—a dog?—said.</p>
<p>"Yozora?"</p>
<p>Yozora's eyes snapped at the source of the voice, recognizing her instantly. Kairi was there too, but she looked so much younger than the last time he'd seen her. Then again, seeing as he'd been a lot younger than he was now, he supposed this made about as much sense as anything else. "Kairi," he said, relief rendering him breathless. The portal must have carried him where he needed to be.</p>
<p>"I don't understand—how are you <em>here</em>?"</p>
<p>"Sora threw me out at the same time as you." He didn't explain himself further, though he wondered if perhaps she might need such an explanation. "I ended up back with the Master, but—"</p>
<p>"The Master?" another woman asked. She carried herself like she held the most authority here—that was one thing Yozora knew to sense. "You mean the Master of Masters?"</p>
<p>He frowned, but didn't waste time asking how they knew that. "Yeah. He's—" He sighed, trying to figure out the best way to explain things without turning them against him. "He orchestrated everything. He tricked me into fighting Sora, and that's how Sora ended up—in <em>there</em>. And he's using that to turn Sora into some kind of weapon against darkness itself."</p>
<p>His words cast a blanket of silence over his audience. "He wants to destroy darkness itself?" Ansem said, thoughtful. "Should we let it happen?"</p>
<p>Both Kairi and the woman next to her shook their heads at once. "Master Eraqus made that mistake once," the woman said. "I refuse to make that mistake too." She looked at Kairi. "What he's doing is only spreading more misery—to Sora, and everyone around him. And that, in the end, will only create more darkness."</p>
<p>"What can we do?" Kairi asked. "If he's really the Master of Masters, do we even stand a chance?"</p>
<p>"Lauriam," the woman said, turning to a pink-haired man who had been standing on the sidelines until now, observing Yozora silently. "You and Elrena <em>knew</em> him. Any insights?"</p>
<p>"Knew him?" Lauriam scoffed. "Hardly. The Foretellers were the only ones who interacted with the Master of Masters."</p>
<p>"Foretellers?" Yozora asked, frowning. Long ago, the Master of Masters had told him he knew what was to come; at the time, he had dismissed it as bluster. "You mean there are <em>actual</em>—"</p>
<p>"They were the Master's apprentices—though to us, they were Keylade Masters. They vanished after the Keyblade War."</p>
<p>"That reminds me," the big-eared anthropomorphic animal chimed in. "We thought the Foretellers came to the other side after the Master of Masters, and if he's still around, maybe they are too. Perhaps you've seen them, Yozora?"</p>
<p>It took all of Yozora's restraint not to show any discomfort. "What do they look like?"</p>
<p>"We never saw their faces," Lauriam continued. "They all wore masks—animal masks. Unicorn, snake, bear, leopard, fox."</p>
<p>"Then yeah, I've met them. Four of them, anyway. Never saw anyone with a fox mask in the Master's lair."</p>
<p>There was a flash of disappointment on Lauriam's face as he processed the news. "Shame. Ava was always the one who seemed to care about us the most."</p>
<p>"Maybe that's exactly why I never saw her," Yozora quipped.</p>
<p>"Possibly. She disrupted the Master's plan, in her own way. She tried to avert fate itself."</p>
<p>"Did it work?"</p>
<p>Lauriam shrugged. "Who's to say? I never laid eyes on a Book of Prophecy. All I know is she changed <em>something</em>, but it wasn't enough to stop—<em>certain</em> things."</p>
<p>The woman beside him laid a hand on his shoulder, though the look in her eyes was electric. "What are we standing around drudging up old memories for? We know who's behind it all, and we know how to get there—let's just go kick his butt!"</p>
<p>"That would be unwise," Ansem retorted. "We still have no idea <em>how</em> to defeat him. If that's even possible."</p>
<p>"Maybe his enemy knows?" Yozora suggested. "Darkness." A few of the people gathered around him looked at him like he was crazy, but Yozora insisted. "The way the Master talked about them, it sounded like they were a person. Or—some kind of embodiment of darkness, anyway."</p>
<p>"An embodiment?" Ansem asked. "Some kind of special Heartless, like Xehanort had, perhaps?"</p>
<p>"No." The person who had chimed up was a young man with a shock of blond hair and a strange half-black, half-white getup. Something about him reminded Yozora of Sora, something in his eyes—a pure, unyielding sense of hopefulness, but a deep pain as well, one Yozora had seen in Sora's eyes only once, right before they'd fought and Yozora had trapped him in crystal. "I—think I may know who you're talking about."</p>
<p>The group's leader—the woman with blue hair—cut him off. "Ven—You don't have to do that."</p>
<p>"It's okay, Aqua. It's—not as hard to access those memories anymore." He turned back to Yozora. "It's—something I talked about with Lauriam and Elrena, when we were connecting the pieces of our past. Darkness—I knew them very closely."</p>
<p>"You—<em>know</em> Darkness? <em>You</em>?" Skepticism dripped from Yozora's words. The boy looked far too unassuming to be acquainted with an entity of pure darkness as the Master had described.</p>
<p>"I do. I was their host for a time." Ven's resolve visibly wavered, but he straightened his stance and looked Yozora in the eye. "Although he goes by Vanitas these days."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Episode 6: We All Have A Hunger</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A couple of lone wolves come back into town.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The moon was just a sliver away from full when Riku glanced up at the night sky. He had to find a safe place to spend tomorrow night—which would prove more difficult than ever. Just a few hours ago, he'd spotted huntsmen in black coats tailing him on the highway—Ansem's men, no doubt.</p>
<p>Not stopping meant losing control and possibly hurting someone. Stopping meant losing the meager advance he'd manage to get over them, being caught. And then, either he'd die, or he'd fight his way out and kill <em>them</em>, adding their weight to his already heavy conscience.</p>
<p>There was, of course, another way, a way to find safety and control all at once. But Riku hadn't been in a pack in a long time. Mostly because of what others expected of him when he did try to join.</p>
<p>Besides, what were the odds of stumbling upon a pack in the middle of nowhere?</p>
<p>He kept driving all night. The beat-up car he'd been driving for months now was likely to give out anytime soon, but he didn't have the time to figure out an alternative solution. He was well and truly running on fumes and hopes, at this point. Literally, as it turned out when dawn rolled around and his gas gauge ran into the red.</p>
<p>Yet just as he thought he was going to have to <em>walk</em>, the impossible happened: the trees cleared out on the roadside, and a small town emerged from the wood, as if placed there to be his salvation. He found the gas station on main street, same as it always was in these small towns, and refilled the car's tank. One less problem to deal with.</p>
<p>That is, until he turned on the ignition and his battery decided to give out.</p>
<p>This wasn't Riku's first rodeo. He tried pushing the car, hoping he could kickstart the battery once the wheels were already turning. When that failed, he went to the gas station clerk if he had cables to recharge the battery more thoroughly. The guy came with him, but when they popped the car's hood, a puff of smoke rose in the air.</p>
<p>"I don't think recharging it is your problem," the clerk said.</p>
<p>"No shit," Riku retorted. He couldn't afford to wait, and he <em>definitely</em> couldn't afford to be stranded in a town during a full moon. "Please tell me you have a car shop in town."</p>
<p>
  <em>"Riku, you have to wake up."</em>
</p>
<p>The girl's voice startled him, and he whirled to look at the clerk, but instead of him, Riku saw a diminutive, blonde girl wearing a bleach-white version of the clerk's work outfit. "What?"</p>
<p>He blinked, and the girl was gone, the clerk looking at him in confusion. "I said: Aegis's shop can take care of that for you. I'll give 'em a call for you."</p>
<p>It took Riku a moment to remember words. "Right. Thank you."</p>
<p>Was the full moon already pulling at his mind? He couldn't afford to wait, yet he had no choice <em>but</em> to wait.</p>
<p>It took all of five minutes for a tow truck to show up—the perks of a small, quiet town, Riku supposed. The driver, a perky brunette whose name tag said 'Sora', greeted Riku with a friendly smile. "Hop on in," he said after Riku's car was attached to his truck, patting the seat next to him in the truck's cabin.</p>
<p>Riku hesitated, given what had just happened with the gas station clerk. "I'll—"</p>
<p>"Come on, you're not gonna <em>walk</em> all the way to the shop! I know it's not <em>that</em> far, but still, man!"</p>
<p>He didn't have much of a choice—he was already drawing much more attention than he wanted to. Attention meant more people likely to tell the hunters about it when—<em>if</em>—he was gone. "I—okay."</p>
<p>He hopped into the passenger seat, and instantly, his sense of scent was overwhelmed. He looked over to Sora, and from the wide-eyed look on his face, the proximity had unmasked Riku just as well. "You're—" Sora said.</p>
<p>"Just drive," Riku said.</p>
<p>"But—"</p>
<p>"<em>Please</em>. I don't have time." He caught the wounded look in Sora's eyes, and let out a relenting sigh. "We can talk while my car's being worked on."</p>
<p>"Okay," Sora said with a resolute nod, and finally turned on the truck's engine. "I'll tell the guys to do their best." In spite of his words, however, Sora was only able to hold out for a minute before he started asking questions. "Are you on your own?"</p>
<p>"Yes," Riku said.</p>
<p>"Me too."</p>
<p>"But you <em>live</em> here?" That was odd—lone wolves could rarely stay in a human community for long. Unless—</p>
<p>"I'm an Omega," Sora said. "Which you—clearly are not. But I don't have control issues." He let out a soft noise, halfway between a whine and an embarrassed whimper. "Not <em>that</em> kind, anyway."</p>
<p>"Oh," Riku simply said. He hadn't expected it, just from seeing Sora.</p>
<p>"So where're you going? Because the full moon is tonight, and there's not a lot out there."</p>
<p>"Anywhere is fine," Riku said. "Far away from people. I have hunters on my trail."</p>
<p>"<em>Hunters</em>?"</p>
<p>Riku gave a sharp nod. "A few hours away, at best."</p>
<p>"You won't be able to keep them off your back tonight, though," Sora said.</p>
<p>He was right—especially with the time Riku was wasting now—but all Riku could do was grunt in response. "I'll figure something out."</p>
<p>Sora let out a skeptical noise in response. "We're here," he said. "I'll tell Magia to work on your car right away. They're not like me, but they know <em>about</em> me. And they understand," he added quickly, likely noticing the panic on Riku's face.</p>
<p>"Thanks," Riku reluctantly said.</p>
<hr/>
<p>It took some work to figure out the best course of action—not to mention the extra effort to convince Aqua to let Kairi and Ventus go through with the plan they had come up with. She had wanted to come along, but Kairi pointed out she was more sorely needed in Radiant Garden, to coordinate everyone's efforts and keep an eye on Yozora. He had, after all, admitted to working for the Master of Masters—there was no way of being sure if his sudden arrival and helpful information didn't play into the Master's hand somehow.</p>
<p>So it was just Kairi and Ventus, along with Donald and Goofy. They took the Gummi Ship out to Monstropolis, where Donald and Goofy had had their first encounter with Vanitas and the Unversed he spawned—creatures of darkness and negative emotion. Even now, after the Keyblade War, some Unversed lingered around the hallways of the laugh factory, and while that was a concern, it meant they were likely on the right track.</p>
<p>Donald and Goofy took care of introductions to the locals while Kairi was still getting used to her monstrous form, then the four of them, Sulley and Mike in tow, set out into the depths of the factory, searching for the device Vanitas had once used to generate a stronger Unversed.</p>
<p>"It's just a pile of junk," Mike pointed out as Sulley unearthed it from the archived they'd stored the device in. "What are you planning to do with it?"</p>
<p>"Hopefully bring back an old friend," Ven said. When he walked closer to the device, the symbol of the Unversed glowed on its surface, and a few creatures emerged from the shadows in the corner of the room.</p>
<p>"It's reacting to you, Ven, just like we thought," Kairi said, summoning her Keyblade just as Donald and Goofy took up their own arms. "Keep going. We'll cover you."</p>
<p>She rushed the nearest Unversed, happy to finally have <em>something</em> to hit; being trapped in a fantasy, then sent back home powerless had left her with far too much frustration she needed to vent out.</p>
<p>The last time she'd been in a serious fight was her and Sora against Master Xehanort, and these creatures didn't even come close to comparing to that night-apocalyptic fight; she didn't even have to call upon her Princess of Heart powers, making quick work of her enemies. Spotting Sulley and Mike were in trouble, she threw her Keyblade at the Unversed attacking them, warping to them and unleashing a Water spell to clear out the area around them.</p>
<p>"So you're some kind of exterminator too, huh?" Mike said. Kairi frowned at him, and he shrugged. "Like Sora. You didn't look the part, but I guess—"</p>
<p>Kairi scoffed, and nodded sharply. "I'm trying my best." The words fell out of her mouth unprompted, revealing a little more of her insecurities than she usually cared to speak out loud. She swung her Keyblade back, catching an Unversed with her strike. "Gotta be strong for my friends."</p>
<p>"You look plenty strong to me."</p>
<p>Before Kairi could think of an answer, the Unversed around them receded, as if they were suddenly scared of something. Kairi turned to look at Ven—and she saw it. A pool of darkness had gathered in front of the machine, a cloud with the silhouette of a boy within, and Ven was on his knees, clutching his own head with both hands.</p>
<p>Kairi ran to put herself between Ven and the dark creature, but by the time she reached him, it had taken a solid form—the form of a boy she knew, even if she'd only seen him once in passing. "Vanitas," she let out.</p>
<p>"<em>You</em>," Vanitas said. Even with his helmet on, Kairi could read a mixture of unveiled animosity and much-more-veiled caution in his body language, but he wasn't looking at <em>her</em>, but up at Sulley. "You <em>threw</em> me. Through a bunch of magic <em>doors</em>!"</p>
<p>"And now we brought you back," Mike Wazowski retorted, unfazed by the anger in Vanitas's voice. "You're welcome." He turned to Kairi. "He's all yours. Please take him far away."</p>
<p>"We will," she said. "Thank you so much for your help."</p>
<p>"<em>Taking</em> me? How forward, princess. Are you and Ventus supposed to overpower me? The weakest of the Guardians of Light?"</p>
<p>Kairi narrowed her eyes at him, and secured her grip on her Keyblade. She was hoping it wouldn't come to a fight, but if it did, she'd be ready.</p>
<p>"We didn't bring you back to fight," she said. "We're here because of your old enemy. The Master of Masters."</p>
<hr/>
<p>Sora introduced Riku to Aegis, the car shop's owner, and Magia, who as far as Riku could tell was either his boyfriend, or shared a bond so deep with him he might as well be. They were humans, like Sora had said, but the three shared a camaraderie that reminded Riku of the packs he'd met before—and had never gotten to join.</p>
<p>"Oh, this is <em>busted</em>," Magia said, a little too gleeful for Riku's taste. "It's not just your battery—that's just the first one to give up. We'll have to replace a bunch of pieces."</p>
<p>Riku groaned. "I can't—I don't have time for that."</p>
<p>"We should have everything we need in the store," Aegis said more calmly. "It'll take a few hours before we can get everything sorted out, though."</p>
<p>"A few <em>hours</em>?" Riku repeated, horrified. "I don't—" His protest cut off in a strangled noise. He couldn't get angry at them—not now, so close to the full moon. "Thanks," he said. "I'm sure you'll do your best."</p>
<p>Aegis nodded, somber. "You might as well hang out in town while you wait. Pass the time."</p>
<p>Riku was inclined to agree—staying here would only make him more anxious. He walked towards the shop's exist, but before he was fully out, he felt a hand wrap around his forearm. "Hang on!" Sora said. "I'll come with you. Show you around town. And that way, I'll know as soon as your car is ready. Besides—" He glanced back at the other two. "I took the day off for this, so you'd better say no."</p>
<p>"<em>Why?</em>" Riku asked.</p>
<p>Sora shrugged. "I don't meet many…like me. Can you blame me for wanting to hang out? And—if the hunters <em>do</em> come, we might as well be together, right? For protection. We <em>are</em> supposed to be pack animals."</p>
<p>Riku let out a dubious scoff, but said, "Sure. Lead the way."</p>
<p>Sora grinned back at him, and pulled at Riku's arm. First he dragged him to a diner, saying he could smell Riku's hunger on him—which, granted, was correct: Riku hadn't eaten much in the past two days since the hunters had found him. Then he moved to an old arcade, currently empty at this time of day, with the local kids busy at school. Riku didn't really see the point, when their abilities gave them such an unfair advantage at most of the games here, but he still went along. And the more he played with Sora, the more he relaxed—<em>truly</em> relaxed, in a way he hadn't in a long time.</p>
<p>It was almost enough to keep Riku's worries at bay. But when they left the arcade, with Sora insisting that Riku <em>had</em> to see the obstacle course he'd built for himself in the woods at the edge of town, Riku heard them coming. The hunters, a convoy of cars and motorcycles, just about to reach the edge of the woods. He tensed up, but Sora just grabbed his hand, an easy smile on his face. "<em>Back to the shop</em>," he said—no, <em>commanded</em>.</p>
<p>The part of Riku that was all heightened instincts feeling the pull of the full moon balked at the sound of his voice, disrupting Riku's Alpha nature. Then he saw her again—the blond girl, now clad in a white dress. "<em>Open your eyes, Riku. Look to the light.</em>"</p>
<p>When Riku blinked, she was gone again, but it was enough to force Riku to focus on the present. He couldn't listen to those urges—to the lunacy that his werewolf nature created in him.</p>
<p>So he followed Sora back to the car shop, unsure how that would help. The hunters could trace him, surely they would—</p>
<p>The shop's door fell shut behind him, but there was no one there to close it. Only a vague frisson in the air, and the faint scent of— "<em>Magic</em>," Riku whispered. He turned back to the crew behind him, inhaling deeply. And there it was, the ozone smell of magic, mingling with Magia's personal scent. "You're a witch."</p>
<p>"I've got good news and bad news," Magia said, still unflinchingly cheerful—though Riku guessed the attitude made more sense. "The good news is I'll disrupt their tracking, make them think you never stopped here at all."</p>
<p>"The bad news?" Riku asked, narrowing his eyes.</p>
<p>"You'll have to stay within town limits until they're far enough."</p>
<p>"I can't. Tonight's—"</p>
<p>"We have a cage," Aegis said, stoic. "You'll be contained."</p>
<p>It sounded perfect. In fact, it sounded too good to be true; Riku trusted witches about as little as hunters.</p>
<p>"There's something else," Aegis added. "Turns out your car's an old model. We'll need a few days to get the parts you need."</p>
<p>"Of course you do," Riku said, voice dripping with sarcasm. Now it sounded less good—almost like a trap. Or was it just the moon's pull on him confusing his thoughts?</p>
<p>Whatever it was, Riku's instincts were the only reason he was still alive, for better or worse. So he made a split decision, picking the alternative solution.</p>
<p>His hands moved too fast for either Aegis or Magia's eyes to follow, smacking the back of Sora's head so hard his entire body shook, and picking him up by the base of his collar with the other. Magia shouted in warning, and Riku smelled ozone again, but before he could let his spell fly, Riku was already crashing through the shop's front door and running away, carrying the unconscious Sora in his arms.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"<em>Enemy?</em>" Vanitas cackled joylessly under his mask. "The Master is more like an old friend to me—not that<em> he</em> sees it that way."</p>
<p>"Friend?" Ven asked. He pushed himself to his feet slowly, visibly struggling.</p>
<p>"Ven, are you okay?" Kairi asked, though she refused to take her eyes off of Vanitas.</p>
<p>"I'm fine," Ven said. "You said something like that before too, didn't you? Back <em>then</em>, you told Brain the same thing."</p>
<p>"So you finally figured out that it was me all along," Vanitas said. "He didn't believe me back then. Do you believe me now?"</p>
<p>"If you're Darkness," Kairi said, "then the Master of Master's actions have created more darkness, right? He let the Keyblade War happen, and the World was torn apart because of it. And now he's doing the same thing again with Sora, using him to cause more suffering. He says he's fighting darkness, but—"</p>
<p>"You understand us quite well, for someone whose heart is so pure," Vanitas said.</p>
<p>"But he still wants to eradicate you, right?" Ven asked. "At the end of the line, that's his goal. Don't you want to stop him?"</p>
<p>"We want nothing," Vanitas said.</p>
<p>"I must be nothing, then," Ven retorted. "Maybe when you were just Darkness, that was true. But since you became a part of me—became <em>Vanitas</em>—that hasn't been the case anymore, has it?" He put a hand to his chest. "You became the darkness that was missing in <em>my</em> heart, and that changed both of us. After Xehanort split us apart, we were connected. I was too hurt to understand what I was feeling at the time, but—it was from <em>you</em>. You <em>wanted</em> to forge the χ-blade, because you thought it would help you stop hurting. You became like us, and without my light, the darkness hurt you too."</p>
<p>For a moment, Vanitas was perfectly still. Then he took one step forward; Kairi readied her Keyblade, but instead of attacking, Vanitas's helmet vanished in a shimmer of light, revealing his face. Even though Kairi had been told what he looked like, seeing this distorted version of Sora's face was still a shock, especially when it split in a vicious grin. "And if I said you were right?"</p>
<p>Kairi had spent long enough around Sora to read the look on his face; she wasn't fooled by his bravado. "I think you <em>want</em> to help us," she said. She forced herself to relax, and dismissed her Keyblade, holding out her hand instead.</p>
<p>"Why would I want that?"</p>
<p>"So that you can find the thing you've been missing," Ven said. "The light I used to give you. Just like I've been struggling to find the darkness you were for me." He too held out his hand, mirroring Kairi. "Even if we can't rejoin, I can help you find it, Vanitas."</p>
<p>Vanitas didn't move at first; he stood so perfectly still that Kairi tensed up, wondering if she should ready herself for a fight after all.</p>
<p>But when Vanitas finally walked towards them, it was at a slow, hesitant pace. Then, finally, he placed his hands in theirs.</p>
<hr/>
<p>It was a stupid idea—Riku was lucky the hunters had gone through town as fast as they had, or he would likely have run out of the shop right in front of them. But Riku refused to be caged by a witch he didn't know who held his car hostage.</p>
<p>He could figure out in the morning what he'd do—probably steal another car. For now, his focus was on surviving the night without killing anyone. And he now had the perfect way to do so.</p>
<p>His wolf's senses led him to an anonymous, abandoned house in the middle of town—likely in the process of being sold and awaiting its new owners to move in, if the lingering scents were any indication. It would be perfect for his needs.</p>
<p>There was the risk of Magia coming after him, but he trusted his own abilities to hide from the witch's spells to last him through the night. He barricaded himself in the house's basement, laying Sora down on the hard floor, and waited.</p>
<p>Sora woke up not long after, but by then, Riku started feeling it more clearly—the pull of the full moon, a rising sensation in his chest that spread into a tug at every part of his body. Sora's scent became stronger in the air, adding to the feeling as well.</p>
<p>When Sora sat up, he blinked himself awake, bleary-eyed and confused. "Where—<em>Riku?</em>"</p>
<p>"I'm not letting them cage me," Riku simply said, as if that explained—or excused—anything.</p>
<p>Sora's eyes widened when he finally caught on to Riku's intent, and he scrambled back against the basement's far wall. "You're gonna—"</p>
<p>"And you're going to let me," Riku said. It wasn't an implied threat, but a statement. Just like Riku's instinct would take the driver's seat once the full moon was out, Sora's would make him submit. But at least Riku wouldn't be killing anyone. So it was between Alphas and Omegas.</p>
<p>"I—" Sora let out a whimper. "I can't. I don't want to. I've never even—"</p>
<p>"Neither of us is going to have a choice," Riku said. "I have enough blood on my hands—this is nothing by comparison."</p>
<p>"Easy for <em>you</em> to say," Sora retorted.</p>
<p>He was likely right. Once, Riku would have acknowledged it—returned to the shop and submitted to the cage. But that Riku would have died on the roads years ago. He couldn't return to that man.</p>
<p>So he sat down on the floor, cross-legged, looking over Sora. The subtle changes in his body were subtle, but Riku could sense them anyway. Not much longer now.</p>
<p>With no windows, they had no way of knowing when the moon was actually out, but Riku had a much better indicator right here with him. It started with a low whine pushing out of Sora's throat, then repeated twitching, like he was resisting his own body's urges.</p>
<p>Then, finally, Sora let out a defeated sigh, and stood up. "I—" he said, taking a first hesitant step. "I might as well—choose this for myself."</p>
<p>Riku raised an eyebrow at him, half confused, half expecting it to be a trap. But Sora only came over to where Riku sat, and when Riku stood up, he made no attempt to fight. "It won't be prettier just because you do this," Riku warned him.</p>
<p>"I know how this works," Sora said. "Just—let's start now. We're both ready, physically." Riku knew what he meant; even if mating with Sora could let him avert a full shift, his body had still changed a little to prepare him for this. "I don't want to do this because I've lost all control."</p>
<p>"As you wish," Riku said.</p>
<p>He wasn't sure where to start, so he started with himself, pulling his shirt over his head. Sora's eyes glided over his bare chest, appreciative in a way that had nothing to do with the moon-driven hunger that was filling both their minds, and that made Riku feel a little more confident. He shed the rest of his clothes one by one, taking his time and letting Sora watch. Nudity wasn't usually a big deal for werewolves, but this context made things a little different.</p>
<p>Sora nodded sharply, as if to himself, but he didn't move to undress himself. So Riku did all his brain would allow him to at this point: he stepped forward and took control. Sora gasped when Riku swept his legs out from under him, but if he'd been planning to struggle, he stopped the moment Riku's fingers slid under his shirt and grazed his bare chest.</p>
<p>Riku pushed Sora's shirt out of the way, tossing it aside, and by then Sora was sufficiently heated to already match his motions. There was a lost look in his eye, a kind of abandon and surrender that wasn't an Omega's submission, but something entirely his own. Seeing that sent a heady feeling through Riku's addled mind, and he moved to work at Sora's belt, his eyes focusing on the way Sora's eyes reflected the basement's dim light.</p>
<p>
  <em>Look to the light.</em>
</p>
<p>"I—" Riku stayed his hand, freezing at the words his own mind whispered to him, and Sora flinched. It took Riku's mind a moment to process that reaction: it wasn't fear, or the threat of pain—it was surprise. Sora was surprised.</p>
<p>Because Riku had stopped?</p>
<p>"I—" he said again. His mind felt foggy, and it wasn't the usual embrace of the full moon's power. He searched through the fog; then, slowly, he blinked. "I don't want to do this." The words were meant mostly for himself. What <em>was</em> he doing?</p>
<p>Sora looked up at him with bewildered eyes. "What are you talking about? Of course you do."</p>
<p>"No, I—" Riku blinked again. "This isn't <em>me</em>. This isn't who I am. This isn't who <em>we</em> are."</p>
<p>"Who <em>else</em> could we be?"</p>
<p>"We're—" Images filled Riku's mind, but little more than fleeting fantasies. Childhood friends, rivals, enemies, friends. A protector and his charge—over and over, in so many different ways, through so many different trials. Allies, brothers-in-arms, fighting a desperate war. A lost thing and its seeker.</p>
<p>He snorted in self-derision. None of these made any sense; he might as well dream about being a pirate. And yet, they felt like who Riku <em>should</em> be.</p>
<p>Riku drew back, away from Sora, standing back up. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I can't do this. Something's—wrong?"</p>
<p>"<em>Wrong</em>? What, with <em>me</em>?"</p>
<p>"No!" Riku said, hating the hurt in Sora's voice and eyes. "No, with <em>me</em>. I—I don't know what's <em>happening</em>!"</p>
<p>"Riku, if you don't f—"</p>
<p>"I. <em>Won't</em>." Riku stood up, anger battling it out with his Alpha nature and keeping him in control in spite of Sora's pleas. "I don't know what's happening, but this isn't who I am." Who was he kidding? Of course it was who he was—it wasn't even the worst of him.</p>
<p>Was it?</p>
<p>Sora shouted then—a wordless sound of raw frustration. "Are you <em>kidding</em>?" He panted hard as he pushed to his feet, and shook his head at Riku. "I thought you'd <em>jump</em> at the <em>opportunity</em>. But fine. I guess this isn't working."</p>
<p>The last thing Riku saw was a flash of crystals covering his eyes.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Episode 7: Unbent, Unbroken</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Riku attracts the favor of a willful prince, while in Radiant Garden, things take a dramatic turn.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Boarding the Gummi Ship with Vanitas was not an experience Kairi was keen on repeating anytime soon. The air was tense at first; then, at some point, the silence that hung between Ventus and Vanitas broke with a "So you remember everything now?"</p>
<p>Vanitas's question held a disbelieving point to it, and yet, there was also a warmth there. It brought Kairi back to her teenage years on Destiny Islands, to rivals who wouldn't acknowledge feelings she had long identified.</p>
<p>Maybe she was projecting—or extrapolating a little too far, anyway—but Ven moved to the back of the ship, sitting on the cabin's floor side by side with Vanitas and talking to him in a low voice. Kairi didn't think it was her place to intrude, so she let them have some privacy, distracting Goofy with small talk as Donald piloted the ship back to Radiant Garden.</p>
<p>When they landed in the square outside the castle, Aqua was running out of the castle, Yozora a few steps behind her, an excited look in her eyes. Kairi hopped out of the ship first, and Aqua immediately went over to her.</p>
<p>"I think we figured it out," Aqua said.</p>
<p>"Figured <em>what</em> out?" Kairi asked, befuddled.</p>
<p>"The magic Sora's using to influence people," Yozora said.</p>
<p>Aqua cast him a sidelong glare. "The magic <em>you</em> channeled into Sora," she corrected. "But that means I can make a counter-spell. A protection against the mind-altering properties of that world Sora has created." She held out two Wayfinders of her own make: one was pink, and Aqua had gifted it to Kairi the day she became her apprentice; the other was a deep, bright turquoise, and Kairi had seen Aqua start working on it ever since Riku had opened that gate to Quadratum. "I already imbued those two—for you and Riku. I want you to take them."</p>
<p>Kairi's eyes widened. "Do you mean I could go back in and remember who I am, and get Riku back as well?"</p>
<p>"Well—yes."</p>
<p>"What about Sora?"</p>
<p>Aqua lowered her gaze. "It's more complicated for him, since he's the source. Even if he doesn't know what he's doing—and that's not how it sounded from what you told us—a simple protection isn't going to cut it."</p>
<p>Kairi let out a dismayed sigh, but nodded, and took the Wayfinders from Aqua's hand. "Thanks anyway. I'll do my best, I promise."</p>
<p>"Kairi, wait—you don't have to go alone. If you give me more time, I can imbue my Wayfinder, and Ven's—"</p>
<p>Aqua looked up at Ventus as he stepped out of the Gummi Ship, and the look on her face darkened instantly. "You found him," she said through gritted teeth.</p>
<p>"We reached an arrangement," Ven said. When Kairi turned around, she noted that he had a hand at Vanitas's back, forcing him to come forward with him.</p>
<p>"I'm just here to make sure the Master of Masters can't <em>actually</em> destroy me," Vanitas said, eyes narrowing at the sight of Aqua. Beside him, Ven rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>Aqua looked skeptical for a second, then finally, she nodded. "Even so," she said, "thanks. For your help."</p>
<hr/>
<p>The day Riku was presented at court was the start of a long, endless fall. From the outside, his life had looked idyllic at the time; a minor nobleman's son brought to the prince's palace to learn from the smartest and mingle with the best. And at first, it <em>was</em>: a string of poetry readings and parties, of hunts and feasts. Golden days, far away from the troubles of the world that had plagued him at home.</p>
<p>Then the Prince had taken note of him.</p>
<p>That alone was meaningful: the Prince didn't acknowledge his courtiers. Oh, sure, he talked to them, played with them, drank with them. But it was always more about interacting with the activity, not with the people. The Prince learning your name was a rare honor; getting an invitation to his private chambers was unheard of. And not something Riku could refuse.</p>
<p>"Riku, is it?" The Prince greeted Riku when he walked in, eyes lazy and hooded as he rose from his bed. "I hear you like poetry."</p>
<p>"I—do, Your Majesty."</p>
<p>"Please, call me Sora. Come, I have the most wondrous idea."</p>
<p>"Your Majesty?" Riku asked, uncertain, but Sora was already sauntering across the room. A stool sat along in a corner of the chamber; and past it, near the window, was an easel.</p>
<p>"<em>Sora</em>." The tone of his correction made it clear: he didn't intend to tell Riku a third time. "Come. Sit. I want to paint you while you read me some poetry."</p>
<p>"Your—Sora," Riku said. "I'm a poor orator, and I'm not much to look at. Are you sure—"</p>
<p>"I'm certain," Sora cut him off. "Sit, I say! You'll see. It'll be fun."</p>
<p>And it <em>was</em>—that first afternoon was a delight. Riku was soon summoned again, and this time, he had prepared some of his favorite poems to read for Sora while he painted. Then again, and again, so many times that Riku feared he'd run out of poems.</p>
<p>When he shared that fear with Sora, he tilted his head with a precious, thoughtful smile. "You're right, that wouldn't do," he said. Then his face lit up. "I know! You'll just have to invent your <em>own</em> poetry."</p>
<p>"I'm—not a poet myself, Sora."</p>
<p>"Sure you are. I can see it. You just have to speak from the heart."</p>
<p>Riku studied him, puzzled. "Speak from the—"</p>
<p>Words failed him, and he froze up, but Sora only laughed. "I know what you need," Sora said. "You need to let yourself be vulnerable." He pressed the tip of his paintbrush to his lips. "And I need a new way to paint you, anyway." He stood from his chair. "Go on. Off with your clothes."</p>
<p>"My—<em>clothes</em>?" Riku thought he'd misheard, but Sora nodded.</p>
<p>"Your coat, your vest, your breeches, stockings, drawers—Are you wearing a shift? That too."</p>
<p>He hesitated, thought about running out of the room, but to where? Even if anyone believed him, admitting that he'd refused the prince might put him in as much trouble as it might get him <em>out</em> of trouble.</p>
<p>So Riku shed his garments silently, one by one, crossing one arms across his bare chest and covering himself with his other hand. In spite of the warm air in the chamber, he felt a shiver run across his body.</p>
<p>"No, no," Sora said, getting up from his chair. "You need to <em>relax</em>, that's the whole <em>point</em>." He walked over to Riku, taking his hands and forcing him to uncross his arms and lean back on the stool, adopting a more open posture—though there was nothing to be done for the tension across every fiber of Riku's body, or the heat that ran up his body. "Hmm. We'll—give it a try."</p>
<p>Sora returned to his chair and started painting, but after just a few minutes, he let out a frustrated sigh. "No, it's not working."</p>
<p>"I agree," Riku couldn't help but say, earning himself a haughty scoff from Sora, who came back to stand in front of him.</p>
<p>"What about <em>relaxing</em> don't you understand?" He reached over to Riku's chest, placing his hands upon hard muscle with as much ease as if he viewed Riku as truly <em>his</em>—a thought that sent Riku's mind spinning and set his skin ablaze. This did <em>not</em>, however, help with the tension—even less so when Sora started rubbing Riku's body, slow circles at first, then full-on massaging, as if that would achieve anything but to make Riku's heart race even faster.</p>
<p>"I don't know if that's going to work," Riku said. He was breathless, and his voice came out as much more of a whine than he was comfortable acknowledging.</p>
<p>"It's all part of the process," Sora said. "But you're right. We should—<em>hmm</em>." He let go of Riku and walked away, and Riku sighed briefly, until he returned with a small vial filled with dark liquid. "Open up," Sora said.</p>
<p>"What—is it?"</p>
<p>"Laudanum. It'll help you relax."</p>
<p>Riku swallowed hard, and hesitated. "Sora, I'm not sure—"</p>
<p>"I promise you it'll help," Sora said. "And I promise no harm will come to you."</p>
<p>"It's not <em>harm</em> I'm worried about."</p>
<p>Sora blinked once, and smiled. "I'm going to paint you. And you're going to recite poetry from your heart. That's all."</p>
<p>Deep down, Riku knew this wasn't any more of a choice than removing his clothes had been. If anything, coming out of the Prince's chambers naked would look even worse for himself.</p>
<p>And besides—there was something about the gentle light in Sora's eyes. The pleasant warmth of their time together until now. The way his presence made Riku's entire being thrum with a need to sing—and yes, perhaps, recite poetry from his heart. He couldn't deny that, even if he'd been taught to see everything that was happening right now as <em>wrong</em>.</p>
<p>So he closed his eyes and opened his mouth, and stuck his tongue out when Sora instructed him to,. He felt drops of liquid run down his throat; and when he felt the warmth of Sora's lips ghosting against his, he didn't acknowledge them.</p>
<p>When he opened his eyes again, Sora was back on his chair, painting, and Riku's breathing was much more even. Maybe he <em>could</em> relax into this.</p>
<p>Maybe he could even recite poetry after all.</p>
<hr/>
<p>They were walking back towards the castle when it happened—a rustle of power, carrying a prickle of the scent of darkness, but washed away in a flood of light. Kairi perked up at the foreign sensation, and beside her, Vanitas reacted as well. It took Aqua a moment longer to notice, but she had her Keyblade out at the same time as Vanitas.</p>
<p>"Someone's watching," she said.</p>
<p>Kairi called her Keyblade as well, though she couldn't see the threat. She wasn't even sure why it felt like a threat, when it echoed her own light so strongly, but she was certain of what her instincts were telling her.</p>
<p>A gust of wind was the only warning they got before a hulking mass came for them. It was fast, and strong, but Aqua's barrier was already up. Upon impact, Kairi could see what was attacking them: a man, clad in colorful robes, his face hidden behind the mask of a bear.</p>
<p>"What the—" she said, but Yozora cut her off.</p>
<p>"It's <em>them</em>. The Foretellers."</p>
<p>Vanitas let out a bemused sneer. "Oh, <em>hello</em>, Aced," he said, cheery as if in greeting, before he lobbed a fireball in the Foreteller's direction.</p>
<p>Aced blocked the hit with his massive Keyblade, brushing it off with a low grunt. Kairi stared on in disbelief at how easily he had shrugged off Vanitas's spell; just then, Ven dove behind her. Kairi whirled around, and saw him crossing Keyblades with another Foreteller, a diminutive boy in a leopard mask.</p>
<p>Not to be outdone, Kairi shook off her daze and jumped in by Ven's side. This Foreteller was fast—faster than even Ventus—but Kairi wasn't the novice who had frozen during the Keyblade War anymore. She blocked his first hit, then leapt in the air on the back of an Aero spell and landed behind him to flank him.</p>
<p>Even then, another Foreteller had shown up, a man in a unicorn mask who was already engaged in battle with Aqua. Distracted, Kairi missed a jolt of magic as it struck her. She landed on the ground, gasping, but she rolled back to her feet as fast as she could. Behind her, yet another Foreteller was here, a woman in a snake mask. She fired another spell, but Kairi was ready this time, and she parried it with one of her own.</p>
<p>Yozora showed up by Kairi's side, weapons drawn. "We have to fall back into the castle!"</p>
<p>Kairi nodded, asserting her grip on her Keyblade. Only the snake Foreteller was barring her way. "We can take her on together," she said, charging her foe.</p>
<p>"You can? As if!"</p>
<p>The voice was eerily, dreadfully familiar, and Kairi gasped when arrowgun bolts landed at her feet, cutting her momentum off. When she looked up, she saw him: Xigbar, still clad in his black Organization robes, standing above the palace gates. But he only carried one of his guns now—in his other hand was Master Xehanort's Keyblade.</p>
<p>"Xigbar?" she asked, blinking in disbelief. "What—"</p>
<p>Xigbar leapt off the ledge, landing gracefully beside the other Foreteller. "Just fulfilling my role, that's all."</p>
<p>Yozora didn't share in Kairi's shock: he charged at Xigbar, firing crossbow bolts at the both of them, then coming in swinging with his sword. Xigbar caught the blow with his Keyblade, but his ally had to step aside to avoid getting caught.</p>
<p>Kairi rushed into the opening, firing off a Blizzard spell to wall the Foretellers away from them. Then she turned to Xigbar, hoping to flank him while he was still struggling against Yozora.</p>
<p>"Kairi, don't!" Aqua shouted from halfway across the courtyard. "Go get Sora and Riku! You have everything we need! We'll hold them off!"</p>
<p>Kairi glanced at her master and hesitated. She might be able to turn the tide of this battle—but then again, she might not. These were four Keyblade Masters—five? she had no idea why Xigbar was using a Keyblade now—and they only had one on their side. Kairi was the only one with the tools to resist going into Sora's world, and Aqua and Yozora were the ones who knew how to make more. If they fell now, they would be unable to help them.</p>
<p>"I'll be back for you," she said. She only hoped they could last that long.</p>
<p>She barreled into the castle, though she knew the snake Foreteller wouldn't be far behind her. As soon as she was in the empty hall, she raised her Keyblade, called forth the portal that had taken her to Sora and Riku once before, and stepped through.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Whatever Sora gave him wasn't <em>just</em> laudanum, but Riku was too far gone to truly mind. When he took it, it felt like a waking dreaming, his mind filling with impossible, magnificent visions, his body feeling stronger than ever, his heart braver than he really was, but his awareness was the same as always.</p>
<p>And even when he <em>didn't</em> take it, some of it lingered. He'd lost track of the time that had passed since that first time, spending most of his days drifting, but he'd all but moved into Sora's chambers by now, and while they still went outside to attend to Sora's many princely activities, when they were alone together in here, Riku barely hesitated before undressing for Sora to paint.</p>
<p>Sora hadn't lied to him—he'd never done anything more than paint Riku when he was naked. They shared the bed, but the most Sora had ever touched him was whenever he gave Riku a dose, when Riku's eyes were closed as his body processed the drug and Sora's lips found a spot on his body to explore. It was enough for Riku, breathtaking yet safe.</p>
<p>Most of his time felt like a waking dream now, and a blissful one at that. Sora was happy, and that was enough for Riku to be content.</p>
<p>
  <em>Why shouldn't it be?</em>
</p>
<p>That question crossed his mind hard enough that he said it out loud, disrupting the poem he'd been improvising for Sora. Sora looked up at him, a frown crossing his brow.</p>
<p>"What did you say?"</p>
<p>"N-nothing," Riku said hurriedly. Whatever doubt he was now feeling, it had no place in his heart.</p>
<p>Just then, however, his dream took on a new shape. Color splashed across his vision, and solidified into fantastical creatures. A fuzzy bat. A cat—or a dog? Riku couldn't tell. And behind them, Riku himself, staring right back at him, but looking different, his hair cut shorter, his clothes strange, otherworldly and indecent to someone who lived in a royal court—though Riku supposed he didn't have the moral high ground at the time.</p>
<p>Riku smiled faintly at his illusory reflection, but the other him looked mostly disappointed. And even though it made no sense, Riku soon found himself sharing that disappointment. He looked down at himself, and, just as the first man after committing the original sin, he was suddenly conscious of what he was doing in a brutal jolt of self-awareness.</p>
<p>"What am I <em>doing</em>?" he asked, as if Sora was going to answer. "I—" He blinked rapidly. "I can't do this."</p>
<p>Sora looked up at him, equally alarmed and confused. "Riku?"</p>
<p>The bright light in his eyes drew Riku in—and once again, the fantasy creatures in Riku's mind stepped in the way. "No," Riku said. He got up from the stool he'd been posing on, picking his clothes off the floor and summarily getting dressed.</p>
<p>"Riku, what're you—"</p>
<p>"You're doing something to me, and—I can't. I don't know what's going on, but it had to end. Right now." He felt his voice harden with a courage he had never known lay within himself. "I'm ending this. I don't care what you do to me. Goodbye, Sora."</p>
<p>"<em>No.</em>"</p>
<p>Sora's answer came like the crack of a whip, and behind him, Riku heard the door snap shut—not with a latch or a lock, but something otherworldly and far stronger.</p>
<p>"No?" Riku asked, circumspect.</p>
<p>"Everything I try, something goes wrong. There's always some kind of misery getting in the way." He paused. "And when I try to lean into it, it's just <em>worse</em>." Sora crossed the room until he was planted right in front of Riku, with barely any space between them. Riku wanted to step back, but he refused to concede any ground. "It's the darkness," Sora continued. "It has to be. That's what it is—pain, hurt, sadness. Every time, it gets in the way."</p>
<p>"Sora, I don't—"</p>
<p>Before Riku could complete his question, the door burst open in a flash of bright, warm light. Riku whirled around, and saw, standing in the doorway, the silhouette of a small girl cut out from the light. There was something eerily familiar about her, and when the light faded and her gaze focused on Riku, her face brightened.</p>
<p>"Riku!" she said, and before Riku could ask how she knew his name, she looked down at his half-clothed state. "I'm—just gonna hope I'm not too late." Riku blinked, but she just came into the chamber. Around her, the floor turned to crystals, but they didn't touch her.</p>
<p>Sora stepped back then. "Kairi—How—"</p>
<p>The girl—Kairi—looked at him with a sad smile. "Sora," she said. "I don't know what you're going through, but I know you're in pain. I'm just here to tell you—it's okay. We can face it—together. All of us. You just have to accept it."</p>
<p>Sora, however, only shook his head. "I can get it right."</p>
<p>"You're just making a fantasy," Kairi said. "And forcing others into it. It has to stop."</p>
<p>There was a moment where the air was still and tense. Then Sora said, "You're right. A fantasy won't do."</p>
<p>And then, just like that, he vanished—just <em>vanished</em>—leaving Riku to look on, utterly at a loss for what he'd just seen and heard. "The Prince—" he started to say.</p>
<p>"He's not a prince, Riku," Kairi said. "He's—It's probably easier if you remember." She held out a pendant in her hand, shaped like a turquoise star. "Take this. And focus on your light."</p>
<p>Riku took the pendant, curious; nothing else made point anymore, he might as well play along. "My light?" All he could think of was Sora; not the prince who painted him and drugged him, but the man he saw underneath. Enduringly positive and sweetly caring—even if he didn't always know how to say what he felt. The man who ghosted his lips over Riku because he didn't know how else to ask. That man Riku felt like he'd known for far more than the brief time he'd spent at court.</p>
<p>Then, in a flash, the fog in his mind parted, opening on a trove of memories that weren't Riku's—and yet, they were. When he opened his eyes, the Wayfinder shone, and the world fell away in crystal shards around them, leaving behind the dark streets of Quadratum.</p>
<p>In front of him, Kairi beamed proudly. "Welcome back, Riku."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Formless, Nameless</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Riku is free from the fantasy world…but so is Sora.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I—remember everything."</p><p>It was all Riku could say—the only thing that made sense in his mind. A flood of memories were threatening to swallow him; true memories of his actual life, growing up on Destiny Islands then getting swept up in Light and Darkness and Keyblades and Kingdom Hearts. But also memories of each and every scenario Sora had pulled him through. In every scenario, the same thing. Love—or something <em>like</em> it—then pain. All except the first one, the one where Kairi had been there.</p><p>Kairi. He looked up at her. "Who—<em>did</em> this?" he asked.</p><p>"He's called the Master of Masters," she said. "He got Yozora and Sora to fight, and after Yozora won, Sora got trapped—in there. The prison worked by letting Sora live his fantasies." Her pointed silence was eloquent on what she'd noticed about those <em>fantasies</em>.</p><p>Riku looked down at himself, but the clothes he'd been wearing—or <em>not</em> wearing—in the palace were gone, replaced with the outfit the Three Good Fairies had made for him to venture into the Realm of Darkness, all that time ago. "How long was I trapped?"</p><p>"A few months. I trained with Aqua, but I came as soon as I could. Although—" she winced. "I thought I could be enough. I thought I could still be his light and bring him back." She turned to Riku. "But I was wrong—Naminé was wrong too. I haven't been his light for a while, and we both know that."</p><p>Riku tensed up. "I have no idea what you—"</p><p>"Riku. I was there for part of it. And more importantly, I've grown up with both of you." She smiled gently. "It's okay. I was jealous, once. Then I was afraid I'd grow into a third wheel and you'd shut me out. Now I realize it doesn't matter what I'm afraid might happen; I'm still your friend, and I'll do everything I can for you guys." She paused. "It's what Sora would do."</p><p>"It is, isn't it," Riku said with a fond smile. "You knew all this time? How I feel about Sora?"</p><p>"And how <em>he</em> feels about <em>you</em>," she added. "You weren't subtle, and you pined for <em>years</em>."</p><p>If he hadn't just lived through countless lives to prove her right, Riku might not have believed her. As it was, he wasn't sure how to deal with it—with having <em>this</em> be out in the open, after keeping it to himself for so long.</p><p>"So you managed to open a portal to come here by yourself?" he asked instead, and Kairi nodded, allowing him the distraction. "Nice job. I'm proud of you, Kairi." She beamed, though Riku couldn't return her smile. "I should have been the one to teach you. If I hadn't run headlong after Sora—"</p><p>"Maybe we would have both been trapped," Kairi said gently. "No use wondering about it."</p><p>"Speaking of trapped—how'd you get us out?" He looked at the Wayfinder in his hand, then back at Kairi, but she shook her head with a worried look.</p><p>"I <em>didn't</em> get us out. It just—happened after Sora disappeared. We're back in Quadratum."</p><p>"The real one? Are you sure?"</p><p>"I think so. The Wayfinders protect us from being manipulated—if we were still under the spell, we'd know. That's how it felt when I was looking for you, anyway."</p><p>Riku nodded, thoughtful. "How'd you get these, anyway?"</p><p>"Aqua made them. She wanted to make more, but—" Kairi's eyes widened. "Riku, I almost forgot! The others are in trouble! The Foretellers—the Master's disciples—were attacking Radiant Garden when I left! We have to go back!"</p><p>"The <em>what</em>?" Riku blinked, confused. Clearly he'd missed a lot since he'd opened that portal to the world on the other side. "Actually, don't explain—we don't have time. But I'm not leaving without Sora."</p><p>"But Riku—"</p><p>"I can't leave him again. You <em>saw</em> him—this prison, you say it let him live his fantasies, but it also made him go through pain and loss <em>over</em> and <em>over</em>."</p><p>Kairi nodded. "That's what Yozora said too—the Master of Masters wants to turn him into a weapon to destroy Darkness for good. But—"</p><p>Riku considered her words. "If <em>you</em> didn't break us out of his prison, then that means the prison broke of its own, right? That can only mean one thing." Kairi's lips parted in understanding just before Riku added, "Sora's ready to fulfill his purpose."</p><p>Just then, a flash of light illuminated the night sky above Quadratum, bright and sudden, shaking the buildings above them, breaking rows and rows of windows on the tall skyscrapers. Riku thought it was a lightning strike at first, but no thunder came, and next to him, Kairi shuddered.</p><p>"This Light—" she said. "Is that Sora?"</p><p>"Sora couldn't—" Riku started, but Kairi looked certain of herself.</p><p>And then, he saw him. A silhouette floating in the sky, only visible when the light flashed again—and even then, only as an afterimage. But Riku would recognize the shape of him anywhere.</p><p>Riku gasped. "Sora!" He summoned his Keyblade and rushed in his direction, looking for something he could get enough purchase on to launch himself in the air.</p><p>"Riku, wait!" Kairi called after him, but Riku didn't stop. Not until Sora's silhouette flickered out from the sky, then reappeared—right in front of him.</p><p>He looked almost the same as Riku remembered him—the <em>real</em> him—but he was floating above the pavement, and in his eyes was a glint Riku recognized, but not from the Sora he had grow up with. It was the daring energy of a blitzball player. The free spirit of a pirate. The dangerous strength of a werewolf. The calculating, indolent look of a prince toying with the boy he had taken a fancy to, and would use as he saw fit.</p><p>That look forced Riku to stop in his tracks, and made him recoil a few steps too. "Sora, it's me," Riku said. "It's over. You're out—we're back in the real world."</p><p>"We are," Sora said. "I told you, a fantasy won't do. But it's not over. I'm getting rid of the darkness—all the pain, all the sadness." He raised a hand, and his Keyblade materialized. "Starting with <em>yours</em>."</p><p>Riku froze, his mind flashing to an old memory—of Sora vanquishing him for falling to the darkness. But that had been an illusion crafted by the Organization and Castle Oblivion's power. This <em>was</em> Sora—<em>his</em> Sora. "Don't—"</p><p>Light gathered along the blade of Sora's weapon, and shot out.</p><hr/><p>Just before Sora's attack struck Riku, Kairi dove between them.</p><p>She wasn't sure if her idea would actually work. All she knew was that she could feel the power Sora was gathering—a light strong enough to rival even the light of Kingdom Hearts—and getting Riku out of the way would be impossible.</p><p>The blast hit her with searing heat and blinding brightness, and her knees buckled under the impact. But when the light faded, she was okay—in pain, but alive. She looked up defiantly. "I'm one of the seven pure lights," she said, "and I won't let you hurt my friend."</p><p>At least Sora looked like the attack had taken a lot out of him; he was winded, and he finally landed on the ground. "Don't you see? I wouldn't <em>hurt</em> him. It's what Riku always wanted—to be rid of his darkness."</p><p>"Sora, I <em>conquered</em> my darkness," Riku said. "But it's still a part of me. Without it, I wouldn't be who I am today. You know that. You can't possibly think—"</p><p>Before he could finish, Sora blinked out again. Kairi looked around, but he was nowhere to be found anymore—though after a moment, she sensed another burst of light in the distance. "I guess he's not up to talk," she said.</p><p>"I can't believe he'd—" Riku started, then his eyes fell down on her. "Are you okay?"</p><p>Kairi nodded, but when she tried to get to her feet, it still hurt. Riku came over to her and helped her to her feet. "Thanks," she said.</p><p>"Are you kidding? <em>I</em> should be thanking <em>you</em>. You jumping in front of me like that—how did you even know you'd survive?"</p><p>"I wasn't sure. It was just a hunch." She looked in the distance, where she felt another burst of Sora's light. "His power is…echoing within me. Kind of like when the seven princesses were gathered in Hollow Bastion. I could feel that too, back then." She paused. "I wonder if this isn't also the Master's doing. That light—it's not just Sora's own power."</p><p>Riku looked grim. "So what do we do?"</p><p>"We can't go toe to toe against that by ourselves," Kairi said. "I know you don't want to leave Sora here, but—"</p><p>"I know," Riku said. "We need everyone else. And they need our help, too, right?" He lifted his Keyblade, but after a moment, he frowned, and looked at her. "I—can't open a portal back."</p><p>"You can't?" Kairi summoned her own Keyblade and tried as well, but shook her head. "Nothing either."</p><p>"You came here the same way I did, right? We used the Power of Waking—we crossed that girl's heart to get to this world. Maybe we need to find another heart to go back."</p><p>"Yeah, but who—" Kairi paused. "Or there could be another way. Yozora was able to cross over—he said the Master of Masters has a portal. He was able to open it using the power of Sora's Keyblade, so we'll definitely be able to do it too, right?"</p><p>A worried pout crossed Riku's face, but he nodded. "It's worth a shot. So you know where he is?"</p><p>She nodded, and pulled out her Gummiphone. "More or less. Yozora gave all of us a map of Quadratum, since we didn't know if we'd be able to go back, or how many of us would make it through." The device wasn't able to figure out where she was on the map, but Quadratum had enough landmarks that she could figure it out just by looking at the skyline around them; from there, charting a course was easy enough. "This way," she said.</p><p>The city was large, and though Kairi didn't want to expend too much magic, the ominous flashes of light and Riku's high level of anxiety meant she had no choice but to get to the Master's hideout as fast as she could, flinging themselves and casting spells to speed along the streets. Kairi hadn't done anything like it since the Keyblade War, and judging by the look on Riku's face, he shared in her exhilaration, in spite of the circumstances they were in. Being trapped in Sora's fantasy world must have left him a little antsy.</p><p>Kairi recognized the train station from the video Donald and Goofy had shown her, after she had first told everyone about the Nameless Star and the world on the other side. It had been a trailer for a video game, featuring a man Kairi had never expected to meet in person, let alone fight alongside—or <em>babysit</em>.</p><p>Further ahead were a couple of skyscrapers: the taller Shibuya Sky, where the battle in that video took place. But it wasn't the one Kairi was interested in: the Shibuya Hikarie, not much further from the station, was her actual destination. Kairi hadn't seen enough large cities to be sure, but it looked unusual to her, compared to most of the skyscrapers of Quadratum: its shape was layered, like an amalgamation of multiple buildings. It was also, according to Yozora, where the Master of Masters stayed.</p><p>The building loomed over them as they approached, imposing enough to distract Kairi from the threat of their Light-corrupted friend sowing destruction somewhere in this city.</p><p>"This place—it's the place I saw in my dreams," Riku said. "I saw Sora wake up here. I remember that building." He pointed to another tower, across the crossing from their location, with the number 104 written at its top.</p><p>"Maybe the Master of Masters had it all planned," Kairi said. She turned back towards the Hikarie building in front of her, trying and failing to swallow down her rush of nervousness. "Should we come up with a plan?"</p><p>"A plan?" Riku asked.</p><p>"It's just—what if <em>he's</em> here?" she asked. "The Master of Masters?"</p><p>"If he is, I'll have a few words with him about what he did to my best friends," Riku said, fierce and ready for a fight. "Do you sense anything? I can't smell darkness in here, but—"</p><p>"I don't sense any light, either," she said. "But we don't know him. He could be neither of those things—or he could just be good at hiding."</p><p>"We don't know much of <em>anything</em>," Riku admitted, "but that's nothing new for us. If the Master of Masters shows up, we'll deal with him. For now, this place <em>is</em> our best shot, since we can't open a portal on our own. Do you know where we have to go?"</p><p>Kairi nodded. "Yeah. The theatre—right over there." She pointed at a set of floors, high above them; even from the outside, the theatre was delineated in the building's outer structure. "That's his main base."</p><p>Riku was the first to go inside, and Kairi followed him, summoning all the bravery she could muster, readying herself for a fight.</p><p>However, there was no one inside the building: only a vast, empty atrium, plunged in darkness. Every single one of their steps echoed in the silence, lending the place an eerie, haunted air. But when they found their way to an elevator, it was still running.</p><p>"Where to now?"</p><p>"Floor eleven," Kairi said. "Yozora said the Master had a theater outfitted with a bunch of computer screens. If we can find that room, I should be able to get us to the portal."</p><p>"Got it."</p><p>The ride up was brief, silent, and nerve-wracking. When the elevator doors slid open, both Riku and Kairi had their Keyblades out, ready for a fight, but no enemy came to stop them. Instead, it was nothing but dark, gloomy hallways, only occasionally illuminated by the flashes of light outside—signs of Sora's continued rampage through Quadratum.</p><p>"Do you think he'll be okay?" Kairi asked as they started checking each of the theatres.</p><p>Riku didn't ask her who she meant. "I—don't know. I just have to believe that he will. And that whatever he's doing right now, he doesn't—do something he can't forgive himself for."</p><p>"Like he couldn't forgive himself for being unable to protect me," Kairi said softly.</p><p>"Kairi—"</p><p>She dismissed his sudden concern with a wave. "It's okay. I saw him after it happened, remember? I saw what it did to him." She lowered her gaze. "If I had managed to fight off Xehanort—"</p><p>"Don't even start," Riku said, his voice firmer than Kairi had heard him in a long time. "You were a novice against a master—you and Axel both. We should never have let you guys join the fight when you weren't ready."</p><p>"But—"</p><p>"I'm serious. We shouldn't have listened to Yen Sid. I guess we were all too swept up in the urgency." Riku let out a controlled breath, but Kairi could hear the tense anger underneath. "I know you wanted to help—and I'm proud of the progress you made with Aqua. But you shouldn't have had to make the call—none of us should have. But at least Sora and I were ready at the time."</p><p>The intensity in his voice forced Kairi to look away, brushing an imaginary lock of hair out of her eyes just to keep her hand busy—and maybe, as an excuse to wipe away the threat of tears from her eyes. "Maybe you're right."</p><p>Riku wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and Kairi leaned into the hug. "You're not to blame for this, Kairi. None of us are. And we <em>will</em> get Sora back."</p><p>She was trying to thank him, but the words died in her throat as they entered the next theatre. Unlike all the identical ones they'd checked so far, this one had been stripped of all its seats, leaving only a wide-open space in the center. All along the walls, massive computer screens were lined up, each of them showing footage of various locations.</p><p>With a rush of horror, Kairi saw a few of them showed her friends in Radiant Garden, still fighting the Foretellers—some outside the castle, but some were now inside as well. On many other screens, she saw the dark streets of Quadratum. On one of them, Kairi saw Sora, floating high above the ground, bringing down searing light upon the city—and with each pulse, every screen went white for a moment.</p><p>And on a screen at the end of the room, was a palace she recognized all too well as a part of Sora's final fantasy. Unlike the other screens, this footage was static, as if it was a paused recording. Which, Kairi guessed, it <em>had</em> to be, given that that place had shattered in as many crystals when Sora had broken out of his prison.</p><p>"That's the place," Kairi said. And, mercifully, no Master of Masters to greet—and, no doubt, <em>fight</em>—them.</p><p>"The portal room isn't far away, right?"</p><p>"Shouldn't we—try to gather some information first?"</p><p>"Kairi—" The pleading look in Riku's eyes made her regret asking the question at all. The sooner they were gone, the sooner they could help their friends—and then, the sooner they could come back for Sora.</p><p>"You're right," she simply said. "Let's go."</p><p>She followed Yozora's account from there, going down the hallways at a faster pace until she found it: a room near the center of the building, looking as innocuous as a janitor's closet. But even from behind the door, Kairi could sense the light pulsing behind.</p><p>"We're here," she said, pushing inside without hesitation.</p><p>Yozora's directions had been spotless: the portal stood in front of them, shimmering pink, like the portals she and Riku had learned to create using the Power of Waking. How the Master of Masters could keep this one open permanently, Kairi didn't know; but then again, there had to be a reason he was called by such a title.</p><p>Riku rushed over to the portal, readying his Keyblade, but before Kairi could join him, she paused. "Hold on," she said, turning to the side.</p><p>While the portal drew the eye easily, this room was filled with treasures and artefacts Kairi couldn't even begin to comprehend, thrown about haphazardly like so many discarded toys. But in one of them, she sensed something.</p><p>Riku followed her gaze. "Is that—a heart?"</p><p>Kairi stepped closer, reaching for the container. It looked like a cardboard toy package, about half Kairi's own height, with the design of a colorful robot on the front—the Gigas she'd seen in that game trailer. But whatever was inside, it was certainly not a toy. "I don't think it's a <em>heart</em>," she said, "but I've sensed this before. A strong dream." Strong enough to keep it going after who knew how long.</p><p>"That girl from the Final World?"</p><p>Kairi nodded. "I think so. I think this is her—" How had Fairy Godmother put it? "Her form."</p><p>"Her—" Riku let out a gasp as he realized. "You think the Master of Masters is the one who stripped her form and her name?"</p><p>"It makes sense, right? Maybe that's how the Master got Yozora to cooperate with him. Which means—" She summoned her Keyblade once more. "We've gotta set her free."</p><p>She paused, wondering if Riku would try to stop her, but he nodded instead. So she raised her Keyblade, willing the box open. When it did, purple energy shot up in the air, knocking Kairi back; she restored her balance, but before she could feel alarmed, she felt the girl's presence around her. Thankful, and longing, too.</p><p>Then the energy vanished, as sudden as it had come.</p><p>"Now what?" Riku asked.</p><p>Kairi shrugged. "I think she went back to the Final World. I just hope she can find her way back home, too."</p><p>"I'm sure she will. And if she can't, we'll go help her once this is all over. Promise."</p><p>"Right." She nodded, casting Riku an apologetic look. "We should go. I know this wasn't really part of the plan—it just seemed like the right thing to do." She looked over at him. "I'm trying to follow the examples you two set. Follow my heart."</p><p>Riku broke into a smile then. "You're doing a good job."</p><p>She smiled back at him. "Thanks, Riku. Now—let's go save our friends."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Heroes of Light</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Foretellers lay waste to Radiant Garden</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yozora <em>wished</em> that they'd been forced into a tactical retreat, but that would have been far too generous. Their group had been properly <em>scattered</em>—there was no way around it.</p><p>The Foretellers were scary foes, each of them fighting in a different style, but all of them carrying power and magic beyond anything Yozora was used to facing, and their expressionless masks only contributed to the fear they struck in their opponents. Worse, they were better coordinated than any elite troops Yozora had ever gotten to command.</p><p>Meanwhile, their disparate group of Keyblade wielders, plus Yozora himself, was anything <em>but</em> elite troops. Aqua was awe-inspiring in her own right, but Ventus struck Yozora as little more than a talented child. Darkness—Vanitas—moved chaotically across the battlefield, making trouble for whichever Foreteller he chose to engage, but hardly <em>helpful</em>. Donald and Goofy were the most effective as a team, though they were barely holding their own against one of the Foretellers.</p><p>When Gula ran into the castle after Kairi, Ventus went after him, and that was the start of their group unraveling. Vanitas and Aced soon ended up going in the castle too, though Yozora couldn't see who was following whom, too busy fighting back to back with Aqua against Ira and Invi to pay close attention.</p><p>The two Foretellers circled them like they were mere prey, but Yozora was more alarmed by Luxu, off in the distance, nimbly avoiding Donald and Goofy and shooting volley after volley where Yozora and Aqua were making their stand. All it would take was one moment of distraction, and—</p><p>A sparkling light flew at the edge of Yozora's sight, and for a moment he was afraid it was yet another enemy. But when the light landed, it crashed right into Invi, bringing her down; and when the light faded, Mickey stood between Yozora and Invi, Keyblade readied. "So <em>you're</em> the Ancient Masters," he said, but his voice didn't hold any of the reverence such a title might imply. "I won't let you hurt my friends!"</p><p>Just then, Luxu leapt into the air, blinking from his perch and reappearing just above Mickey, arrowgun aimed. "Watch out!" Aqua cried out, diving for Mickey and casting a barrier around the two of them.</p><p>Yozora took care of the counterstrike, firing his own crossbow at Luxu, but he was already in motion, dodging with ease and a dismissive scoff. A noise behind him caught Yozora's attention; he whirled around, ready to block an attack from Ira, but the Foreteller was actually moving <em>away</em>, heading into the castle.</p><p>"I'm going after him!" he called to the others. Mickey and Aqua were both Masters, and they had Donald and Goofy; hopefully they could handle two Masters.</p><p>The castle's great hall was empty when Yozora walked in, and for a moment, he thought he was walking into an ambush. He soon realized his mistake, however: Ira wasn't hiding, he had simply taken the high ground. Above him, on the hall's upper balcony, Ventus was fighting against Gula, trading blows at high speed flicking around the gallery. Ira leapt forward, and it was all Yozora could do to shout in alarm, but it was too late. Ira's Keyblade caught Ven in his back and knocked him into a wall, out of Yozora's sight.</p><p>Swearing under his breath, Yozora propelled himself upwards using the hall's floating platforms, landing in time to block an attack from Gula. He fired back with his crossbow, but Gula was too fast to even aim at, let alone actually shoot him. Ira tried to take advantage of Yozora's distraction, and Yozora reacted the only way he could: he turned the crossbow on him and fired an energy trap.</p><p>A red sphere immobilized Ira as Yozora's weapons drew his powers into them, but before he could complete the process, Gula was on him again, and Yozora rolled on the floor, interrupting the process. Ira recovered instantly, and both Foretellers faced him as one.</p><p>Yozora braced himself, but when the two Foretellers charged, two figures stepped in from behind him, catching their blows with Keyblades of their own.</p><p>"I just got Ventus back," Lauriam said, resolute. "You're not taking him again."</p><p>Beside him, Elrena unleashed a Thunder spell at the two Foretellers with a vicious grin.</p><p>Yozora took the opportunity they gave him, and he rushed to Ven's side, taking a healing potion from his toolbelt. Ven opened his eyes with a pained groan, and it took him a moment to refocus, but he was soon pulling himself to his feet. "I'm sorry—"</p><p>"Don't worry about it," Yozora said. "How are you holding up?"</p><p>"I can still fight," Ven said, summoning his Keyblade as if to demonstrate.</p><p>"Are you sure?"</p><p>"He's sure." Yozora flinched at the sudden appearance of Vanitas by his side, but his attention was entirely on Ventus; he even held out a hand to help Ven get up to his feet. "We'll take care of these two," Vanitas said. "And I'll keep an eye on Ventus."</p><p>Yozora nodded, then frowned. "If you're here, where's Aced?"</p><p>"I lost him when I felt Ven got hurt," Vanitas said. "Though knowing him, he probably went straight for the weakest target."</p><p>"The lab," Ven said. "Ansem the Wise and everyone else—they'll be defenseless."</p><p>"I'll go," Yozora said, pushing himself to his feet.</p><p>"We should go with—" Ven started to protest, but just then, Elrena flew past them, barely recovering from a spell sent by Gula.</p><p>"Your help is needed here," Yozora said. "I can handle Aced."</p><p>He actually hesitated before he left—the fight here may be four on two, but with Ventus hurt, Vanitas being unreliable at best, he wasn't sure the outcome was a foregone conclusion. Still, <em>someone</em> had to keep Aced in check, and he was the best choice for it, so he went down to the lab after a moment.</p><p>Aced's trail was an easy one to follow, peppered as it was with signs of wanton destruction. Yozora caught up with him as he broke down the door to the lab, and he fired a crossbow bolt at Aced, hoping to get his attention.</p><p>He was successful at that: Aced ignored the people visible beyond the door and turned to Yozora, and even though his mask didn't show his face, there was an air of rage behind the way he raised his Keyblade and fired a spell at Yozora before charging at him as well. The walls, ceiling and floor all shook under the combined might; swearing again, Yozora ran the other way, hoping to get out of the narrow corridor.</p><p>He didn't: Aced was on him before he could reach an open space, and Yozora flipped on his feels just on time to trigger another energy trap. Aced fell into it, but his spell kept flying past, hitting Yozora square in the shoulder and tossing him back before his weapon could finalize the sampling of Aced's powers. Aced wasted no time restoring his advantage: he struck at Yozora with all his might, making Yozora's arms feel like they would shatter with each hit he blocked.</p><p>In such close quarters, Yozora felt cornered; he had no room to outmaneuver Aced. All he could do was step back, block, and hope for the best.</p><p>So when he heard someone coming from behind, but that someone turned out to be Luxu, Yozora felt a trail of cold sweat run down his back. They had him pinned in a hallway, with no way out, and he was about to give out from exhaustion under Aced's rampage.</p><p>Luxu marched towards him, and Yozora readied his crossbow, but a shot from Luxu knocked the weapon out of his hand. Yozora dove for it, but just then, both his foes reached for him at the same time. Yozora closed his eyes, bracing for impact—but it never came.</p><p>A light flashed behind Yozora's eyelids, and when he opened his eyes, two figured had appeared between him and his opponents, and a pink barrier was raised between them. Blinking, Yozora realized who his rescuers were.</p><p>"Kairi," he said softly. "And—Riku." He couldn't <em>believe</em> it. Did that mean they had succeeded? Had they already thwarted the Master's plan on the other side?</p><p>But no, he realized. If they had, there would be someone else with them.</p><p>Still, it wasn't time for questions. Riku charged Aced by himself, but if his reputation was anything to go by, Yozora knew to leave him to it. Instead he grabbed his crossbow and stood side by side with Kairi, firing a bolt just as she cast a spell.</p><p>Together, they pushed Luxu back, both of them weaving in and out of close range to duel with Luxu's Keyblade while the other fired in support from behind. When the hallway turned into a larger room of the castle's underground, Luxu leapt backwards, but the look in his eye was a wary one.</p><p>"Give it up, Xigbar," Kairi said. "You've lost."</p><p>An angry snarl came on Luxu's face. "As if. We got exactly what we came for."</p><p>Yozora charged at him, but it was too late. Luxu blinked out, and Yozora's blade only met empty air.</p><hr/><p>When Aced retreated into the Lanes Between, Riku remained on alert for a moment, expecting an ambush. But after a moment, it became clear that the Foreteller was gone for good.</p><p>He went down the hallway to check on Kairi, and found that Xigbar—Luxu—was gone as well. Riku was about to ask them what happened, but then his eyes locked on the young man they'd rescued. Even though they had never truly met, the color of his eyes was all Riku needed to see to know who he was. Yet the sight of him as an adult was still shocking to Riku: it was like looking at a distorted reflection of himself—though what that meant, Riku had no idea.</p><p>"Hey," he said. "Yozora, right?"</p><p>Yozora kept on staring for another couple of seconds, lips slightly parted. "R-Riku," he finally let out, although Riku could have sworn he was about to say something else. "Thanks for the save."</p><p>"Well, I <em>was</em> your dad for a while," Riku teased, making Yozora sputter incoherently. "It's what I should do, right? Protect you?"</p><p>"It was just Sora's fantasy," Yozora finally said with a dismissive shrug.</p><p>"I gave you <em>baths</em>," Riku couldn't help but say, a nervous laugh threatening to tear out of his throat.</p><p>"Let's not linger on that."</p><p>"Sora and I <em>cuddled</em> with you because you had a nightmare."</p><p>"And it wasn't even a nightmare—it really happened."</p><p>"Whatever you say, <em>sweetie</em>."</p><p>"I have a crossbow, and I'm willing to use it."</p><p>"How very Freudian." The word lingered in his mouth—a leftover tidbit of knowledge from the other lives he'd lived. He wondered how much more of that other Riku was still within him. One part he would certainly miss—the part where he and Sora were finally together.</p><p>"If you guys are done—" Kairi chimed in.</p><p>Riku averted his gaze, and Yozora cleared his throat, hiding his embarrassment in very much the same way Riku might have. But Kairi was right—Yozora deserved better than merciless teasing. "Thanks for helping Kairi come get me out," Riku finally said.</p><p>"I did what I could," Yozora said. "If I'd realized what kind of person the Master was sooner, none of you would even be involved."</p><p>"Yeah, I don't know about that. Sounds like the Master of Masters played us like pawns for a <em>long</em> time." Riku refused to dwell on what that might mean going forward; had the Master already accounted for their next move, their attempt at rescuing Sora? Were they doomed from the start? Riku couldn't afford those doubts.</p><p>"I think so too," Kairi said. "But now that we know, we can work against him." She turned to Yozora. "There's something you should know. When we were in the Master of Masters' lair, we found—something. A container of some kind. I freed what was inside, and…I think it's someone you know. Part of her, anyway."</p><p>Yozora's eyes flew wide at that. "You <em>found</em> her? You set her <em>free</em>? How do you even know <em>about</em> her?"</p><p>His outburst brought a gentle smile to Kairi's lips. "We met your friend in the Final World. And Fairy Godmother said she should be able to restore her to her true form, if we—"</p><p>"No need," Yozora said. "I—can do it myself. I just didn't know how to take her name back from the Master of Masters." He let out a soft breath. "I can't believe it. I failed to save Sora, but I might still get her back."</p><p>Riku frowned at that, but before he could ask, Kairi said, "You'll still need help reaching the Final World—even we can't do that. We could reach out to Fairy Godmother for you, ask her to meet us here, if you'd like."</p><p>Yozora shook his head. "Thank you, but right now. Both our worlds are still hanging in the balance."</p><p>"He's right," Riku said. "Look how quickly they retreated. The Foretellers and Xigbar—Luxu—were just trying to stall us. And we already know what their actual endgame is."</p><p>Kairi's eyes widened in sudden, horrified realization. "<em>Sora</em>," she said.</p><p>Riku nodded. "We have to go back and help him." He'd been putting it off long enough—justifiably, but his entire <em>being</em> was still itching to go after Sora. It was what he'd always done: protect Sora at all costs, even—<em>especially</em>—to himself. Now, more than ever, Riku had to be there for him.</p><p>"We will," Kairi said. "But not alone. Let's gather everyone up."</p><p>It took far more time than Riku wished for everyone to come to the castle library, even though he knew they all needed to wind down after the battle. But every moment they spent here was a moment they weren't helping Sora, and he couldn't abide by that quietly.</p><p>Finally, though, everyone was here, and Riku let Kairi summarize everything that had happened on their side of things.</p><p>Aqua was the first to respond. "So you're saying that…<em>fantasy</em> world Sora created is no more? We can go in safely?"</p><p>"That's what it looked like," Kairi said.</p><p>"So much for our hard work," Aqua said with a scoff.</p><p>"It already paid off," Riku said. "I might not be here if Kairi hadn't shown up to get me out."</p><p>"Indeed," Ansem the Wise said. "And we're glad you came back to us, Riku. Besides, this works to our advantage. With the fantasy world gone, more of you can go to the other side to get Sora back."</p><p>"But we can't <em>all</em> go," Aqua said. "What if the Foretellers come back? Or—"</p><p>"I'll stay," Mickey said. "I'll guard this world while you guys go save Sora in the other world."</p><p>Aqua looked unsure. "But, Mickey—"</p><p>"I know. But we all want to save Sora. And if he's as strong as Riku and Kairi have said, it might take all of you. So I'll stay behind." He paused. "I promise I'll be careful. If the Foretellers come again, I'll do my best to stall them and draw them away from where they might hurt other people." His gaze hardened briefly, and he added. "I was able to hold off all twelve of Xehanort's replicas. I can do this. Trust me."</p><p>Aqua looked to Riku—a silent acknowledgment that, as the third Keyblade Master among them, he also got a vote. "I trust Mickey," he said. "The two of us got through some tough times together."</p><p>His decision seemed enough to make Aqua concede. "All right. I'll trust you too."</p><p>"Elrena and I will help the King," Lauriam offered just then. "The Foretellers were our mentors. I'm not letting them get away with hurting people."</p><p>"Thank you," Mickey said with a grateful nod.</p><p>"Then the rest of us are going?" Riku asked. He looked around the room: there was Aqua and Ventus. Yozora, who would be their guide, and Kairi, of course. Donald and Goofy—Riku couldn't even imagine telling them they couldn't come. And Vanitas, still sending a rush of heartache down Riku's chest whenever he saw his face.</p><p>Vanitas held his gaze, raising an eyebrow as the question in Riku's eyes became apparent. "Of course I'm coming," he said with a toothy grin. "If Sora has been hooked in pure light, I want to see it. And <em>crush</em> it."</p><p>Riku couldn't help but frown a little, but the threat didn't seem aimed at any of them—or at Sora himself. Vanitas was more unsettling than Riku expected, especially with that face of his, but Riku had spent too long mastering the darkness and fighting alongside it to be scared of him. "We might need that," he simply said instead.</p><p>They gathered in the courtyard outside the castle for the final goodbyes, leaving Mickey and Ansem the Wise at the gates. Riku drew his Keyblade, and called forth the portal to the other side, light shooting up into the skies under the force of his Power of Waking.</p><p>He turned his head to trade a look with Kairi. "We'll save him," she said.</p><p>"I know we will." <em>I know I will. If it's the last thing I do.</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Lost In The Bliss</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Riku, Kairi and Yozora rally the heroes of Light to rescue Sora</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sky above Quadratum had transformed in the short time Riku and Kairi were away, the nighttime gloom replaced by brightness. But it wasn't the pale, soft light of daybreak, or sunlight; it was a cold, lifeless, rigid blanket, plastered across the sky in a uniform layer of white light. It made Riku's skin crawl with a sense of <em>wrongness</em> that he'd once thought was unique to darkness.</p>
<p>The light wasn't just hanging overhead; it washed across the streets too, painting the roads, the buildings. As their group, led by Yozora, made their way out of the Hikarie building and to the massive street crossing nearby, they came across residents of Quadratum for the first time. But each and every one of these people had been turned to crystal statues, much like the crystals Riku had seen inside Sora's prison.</p>
<p>When Yozora saw the first of those, he reached out but didn't dare touch it. His eyes widened in shock, filling with recognition and horror, and he hung his head. "This is all my fault," he said.</p>
<p>Riku was by his side instantly. "It's the Master of Masters's fault," he said, unable to resist the instinct to reach out and place a hand on Yozora's shoulder. "If Sora was here, he'd tell you we're going to fix this."</p>
<p>Yozora only half-turned to look at him, though it was enough for Riku to see the glistening in his eyes. "Yeah, I guess he would."</p>
<p>"It's why we love him." Riku felt heat creep up his cheeks, but he pushed past it. "But it's also what the Master used about him. You can't be okay all the time. So if you need a moment—"</p>
<p>"I'll—" Yozora started, but he cut himself off, and gave a sharp nod.</p>
<p>Riku nodded back, and turned towards Kairi, giving him the time he needed. "You said you could sense Sora's light before. Do you still sense it now? Do you know where we can find him?"</p>
<p>Kairi hesitated. "There's a lot <em>more</em> light here now." She waved around them, at the unnatural light that bathed them all. "It's harder to pinpoint his location. But—" She looked up, her gaze locking on the top of the skyscraper they stood at the bottom of, a tower with the number 104 marked in bright letters on its front. "I think up there might be a good place to start."</p>
<p>"Worst case scenario, it'll give us a vantage point," Aqua added.</p>
<p>It was a good point, but it wasn't enough for Riku. So he turned to the other person he expected to have information for them. "What about you, Vanitas?"</p>
<p>Vanitas met his gaze with a look that could have been vaguely bemused or actually surprised—Riku couldn't really tell, which was an odd realization when Vanitas looked identical to the person Riku knew best in the world. But after a quiet moment, his face scrunched up in concentration. "The tower's just a beacon," he said. "The real source of the light is in that direction." Riku couldn't see anything in the direction Vanitas was pointing—whatever he had noticed was hidden by the skyline.</p>
<p>"I think Vanitas is right, yeah," Kairi said. "It feels faint, but there's something over there too. And this right here feels like a distraction, not Sora himself…I think. This light is different from what I'm used to."</p>
<p>"It certainly is," Vanitas said, though he didn't elaborate, even when curious eyes turned to him.</p>
<p>Riku turned to Aqua, trading a look with her. "Should we check out that beacon anyway?"</p>
<p>"If the Master of Masters put it there for us to see it, I say we don't," Aqua said firmly. "I don't know about you, but I've had enough of older Keyblade Masters using me as a pawn."</p>
<p>"Yeah, me too," Riku said, nodding. "Let's check that other light out, then. Be ready for anything."</p>
<p>When he turned to check on Yozora, he found him standing at his side already. "Let's do this," Yozora said, resolute.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Vanitas and Kairi guided the group across the city, to a towering building, standing apart from the skyscrapers of Quadratum by the way it split into twin towers about two-thirds of the way up. Ominous red lights glowed at the top of those towers, as if the building was animated with a power all its own, but that wasn't all there was to see here: white light poured out of every window, cascading down the sides of the building as if it were a liquid, bright enough to look tangible.</p>
<p>Even to someone like Yozora, who dealt with magic but didn't use it himself, it was a clear sign of what awaited them inside—or rather <em>who</em>. That light mirrored the white that hung overhead, like a stronger, purer version of that uniform cloud. And there could only be one person inside: Sora.</p>
<p>"What's the plan?" he asked. "You guys must have <em>some</em> idea how to fight this, right?"</p>
<p>"We've usually been fighting <em>for</em> the light, not<em> against</em> it," Aqua said.</p>
<p>"We don't need to fight it," Riku objected. "We just need to reach out to Sora. Whatever's got a hold of him right now, I'm sure we can get him out."</p>
<p>"You sound confident about that," Yozora noted.</p>
<p>"I was drowning in darkness as thick as this, once upon a time. And I made it out, in part thanks to Sora, and Kairi, and all my friends. The least we owe him now is to return the favor."</p>
<p>"I think you're selling yourself a little short, Riku—" Kairi started, but Riku waved her off.</p>
<p>"I'm not trying to be modest. We <em>have</em> to be able to help Sora." There was a desperate note behind Riku's words—a need for them to be true. Yozora knew that need all too well, but all it had led him to was trapping a boy in crystal and triggering this whole mess in the first place.</p>
<p>"You can't go in here on hope alone," he insisted. "From what you told us, if Kairi hadn't stepped in when you faced Sora before, he could have <em>ended</em> you. You need a stronger plan this time around."</p>
<p>"Our bonds can reach out to him," Riku repeated. "All of us. I <em>know</em> it."</p>
<p>"And until they do?"</p>
<p>"I can take Sora's light," Vanitas said. His face was turned up at the skyscraper, looking at the light that poured out with a look of utter fascination.</p>
<p>"Vanitas—" Ven said. "You don't know what it'll do to you."</p>
<p>"Don't I?" Vanitas looked down and met Ventus's gaze. "The last time I saw a light this <em>pure</em> was when you faced me for the first time, and I survived it just fine—more than fine, really." He paused. "Unless you're <em>jealous</em>, Venty-Wenty," he added, teasing.</p>
<p>"I'm <em>worried</em>. We didn't take you on our team just to sacrifice you here."</p>
<p>"Don't worry. I have no intention of dying here, and I'm not replacing you with Sora. I think this one over there would kill me if I tried," he said, nodding shamelessly towards Riku.</p>
<p>"If you're sure you can take it—" Riku was clearly trying to move along, though the blush on his cheeks was obvious. "Then we should be good to go, right? We can't waste too much time—"</p>
<p>"Go? Where are you going, Riku? You just arrived!"</p>
<p>The voice came from above them, and their entire group looked up in the sky at its origin, though Yozora guessed they had all recognized its owner already. Sora stood high above them, at the fork in the building where it split into two towers. How he could hear them from up there, or how his voice could carry so far down even though he wasn't yelling, Yozora could only guess—some kind of magic.</p>
<p>Before any of them could respond, Sora walked forward, tipping over the edge and diving into the open air. When he hit the street level, however, he simply recovered into a roll as if he hadn't just dropped some thirty-odd stories. His Keyblade had appeared in his hand at some point in the fall, though it looked different from how Yozora remembered from their fight: it was entirely made of the same crystals Yozora had turned Sora into, making the entire weapon one large prism that turned the light emanating from Sora himself into a swirl of colors in the air.</p>
<p>Vanitas was the first to step forward, his own Keyblade in hand. "Oh, this is going to be <em>fun</em>," he said with a smirk.</p>
<p>"Don't hurt him," Riku hissed, half-pleading, half-warning.</p>
<p>Yozora was more worried about how much Sora was going to hurt all of <em>them</em>. Up close, his radiance was almost hurtful; yet it wasn't the heat of a natural light source—if anything, he felt oddly <em>cold</em>, like the sky above them. Instead the light felt like blunt force, like pressure against Yozora's skin, popping in his ears like a loud noise. That kind of power was unlike anything he'd ever seen—in person, or in the dreamscape.</p>
<p>Vanitas was the first to move: he lunged forward, a trail of dark fire surrounding him. Sora raised a hand, slow and deliberate, but with the angry look in his eyes; light shot out of him and struck at the cloud of darkness surrounding Vanitas, piercing and powerful. It cut off Vanitas's momentum, though he stood his ground against the assault.</p>
<p>"Come on!" Yozora shouted, urging the others to move as well. There was no saying what else Sora was capable of, but he doubted they could win if they let themselves be picked off one by one. He drew his weapons, firing a crossbow bolt in the hopes of getting Sora's attention off of Vanitas. It didn't occur to him that he may not have <em>wanted</em> that attention until Sora gave it to him, firing a bolt of light that hit him square in the chest and knocked him off his feet.</p>
<p>His attack spurred on the others, at least; by the time he recovered, the rest of their group had joined the fight. Aqua and Donald provided magical support from afar, raising shields to redirect Sora's light, while Ven helped Vanitas get out of harm's way, nimbly dodging direct assaults. Kairi and Riku had engaged Sora in close combat, with Goofy as support behind them; every time Sora's crystal Keyblade hit against one of their weapons, sparks rained down, burning with their own inner Light.</p>
<p>Yozora joined them, firing crossbow bolts to knock Sora off his balance then joining Riku's side just in time to help him block a hit from Sora's weapon. The two of them together could barely keep Sora's blow in check, even though Yozora pushed back with all his might; when a burst of light erupted from Sora, all that saved Yozora and Riku was a magical shield erected by Aqua from afar.</p>
<p>"Sora!" Riku shouted. "I know you don't want to do this! Please, <em>listen</em> to me!"</p>
<p>"This is for your own good!" Sora shouted back, and the light flared up again, only to be blocked when Kairi stepped in the way—though the hit still tore a cry of pain out of her.</p>
<p>"<em>Kairi!</em>" Aqua shouted, and ran to the girl's side, healing magic already flowing from her hands. She stood over Kairi protectively as the magic worked into her, though when she readied her Keyblade, Yozora caught an uncertainty in her gaze.</p>
<p>Sora launched another assault, aiming for Vanitas and Ventus on the other side of him, but Vanitas flickered out of existence and Ventus slid out of reach before either of them could be hit.</p>
<p>"Step aside, <em>Master</em>," Vanitas said, reappearing at Aqua's side. "This isn't an enemy you were ever trained to fight. But I was."</p>
<p>He shot a series of spells, fire and ice and thunder, and Yozora and Riku both had to step back to be sure they weren't hit. Sora wasn't as fast; the spells hit him squarely, and Vanitas took advantage of it to strike with his Keyblade. Yet, impossibly, Sora raised his own weapon to meet Vanitas's, blocking the hit in spite of the magical fire and frost still clinging to his clothes.</p>
<p>They traded hit after hit, Riku stepping into the melee as well, though Yozora couldn't tell if he was trying to defeat Sora or keep him safe. The chaos that was the three of them made it impossible for Yozora to step in and fight as well; and judging by the way his allies were keeping their distance as well, he wasn't the only one at a loss.</p>
<p>That was when an explosion threw Yozora off his feet.</p>
<p>It hadn't hit him, landing instead somewhere behind him, but he hadn't seen Sora fire in this direction at all. It took him a couple seconds to shake off the daze and get back on his feet; when Yozora turned around, he saw them.</p>
<p>The Foretellers—four of them, plus Luxu. They had followed them to Quadratum—unless this was where they'd run off to—and they barely looked weaker for their fight in Radiant Gardent.</p>
<p>"Incoming!" Yozora shouted, though he couldn't afford to look back and see if anyone else had noticed their new opponents. Instead, he raised his weapons at the Foretellers ahead. "Come for another beating?" he taunted.</p>
<p>"As if!" Luxu said. "I don't remember you <em>winning</em> all that much. We just left because our job was done!" He waved towards Yozora—or rather, towards Sora behind him, though Yozora couldn't turn his back on five enemies. "Now we just have to make sure everything keeps going according to plan."</p>
<p>He fired his arrowgun as the other four Foretellers charged Yozora as one, but their assaults all landed against a magical barrier with a clear, ringing sound, followed by a magical explosion.</p>
<p>Bewildered, Yozora looked around to see Aqua stepping up to his side, eyes burning fiercely. "Now <em>these</em> are enemies I can fight," she said. "And I'm not letting them hurt my friends again."</p>
<p>Yozora nodded, and reasserted his grip on his weapon. Ventus joined Aqua's side, and Donald and Goofy stepped up to the other side of Yozora.</p>
<p>"Is Kairi okay?" he asked as he crossed blades with Ira.</p>
<p>"She's helping Sora and Vanitas," Donald replied. "We'll take care of the Foretellers."</p>
<p>"Take care?" Sora shouted from behind, and it took all of Yozora's focus not to look away from his opponent and be distracted. "But they're <em>right</em>! Isn't that what we've been fighting for? The light? I can <em>win</em> this fight for us! I won't need to reset the world like Xehanort wanted—I'll just purge the darkness where it exists. Change the world for the better!"</p>
<p>Yozora heard Riku start to argue back, but his words were lost in a gust of wind that knocked all fighters off-balance, even the Foretellers. This time, Yozora couldn't help but look back: Sora was rising up in the air, lifted by his own power. He kept on ascending, light flooding out of him now, thickening the air until it was difficult to breathe.</p>
<p>Riku raised a hand towards Sora as he kept ascending, out of reach, towards the top of the building. Then he turned around, looking at the Foretellers. He raised his Keyblade, ready to charge at them, but Yozora stepped in his way.</p>
<p>"Don't! The Foretellers are just here to waste our time!" he shouted. "You were right the first time—you just need to reach out to him. You, Kairi and Vanitas, go on ahead. We'll hold the Foretellers off!"</p>
<p>Hesitation crossed Riku's features. "But—"</p>
<p>"Go! We'll be fine!" He wasn't entirely sure about it himself, given that this was the very same group that had fought the Foretellers before—and lost, until Riku and Kairi had come as reinforcement. But he knew they couldn't afford the delay: that would be playing right into the Foretellers—and the Master's—hand. "I believe in you, Riku. I've felt what it's like to be loved by you. I know it can be enough for him, too."</p>
<p>Riku blinked slowly, then nodded. "Okay. But be careful." He exchanged silent looks with Kairi and Vanitas, then the three of them turned towards the building and launched themselves in the air, starting the climb.</p>
<p>Yozora didn't waste time watching them go; he dove back into the battle, just on time to rescue Ventus from a pincer attack by Gula and Invi. Fighting back to back, they managed to drive Invi back, though Gula was too quick for Yozora to even get one hit on him, being forced to play defense instead.</p>
<p>A stray spell from Donald hit Gula from the side, knocking him away. Just as Yozora was about to revel in a sense of triumph, however, he heard Aqua shout in alarm, and saw her struggling against the combine forces of Invi, Ira and Luxu. Ven was busy chasing down Gula, and Goofy was pinned down by Aced; Yozora was the only one who could intervene, and he charged towards them.</p>
<p>He realized his mistake when Luxu turned towards him faster than he should have. Aqua was more than capable of holding them off; this was an ambush for a would-be rescuer, and Yozora had walked right into it. The combined blast of Luxu's shots and Ira's Keyblade knocked him down, and Luxu pressed the tip of his Keyblade to Yozora's throat. At the edge of his vision, Yozora saw Gula and Invi switch places with Aced, the two of them keeping Donald and Goofy occupied while Aced swung for Ven, sending him sprawling to the pavement right next to where Yozora was pinned down.</p>
<p>A cry of fury cut through the air, and dark fire swirled around them. Yozora blinked, and saw the figure standing over them.</p>
<p>"Vanitas?" Ven asked, incredulity clear in his voice even in his weakened state. "But—Riku and Kairi—"</p>
<p>"Will manage without me," Vanitas snapped. "I couldn't let you get hurt, Ventus."</p>
<p>In spite of his bravado, Yozora wasn't sure there was much he could do: Donald and Goofy were knocked out some distance away, Aqua struggled against Invi and Gula, their combined magic and speed preventing her from reaching the rest of them, leaving Vanitas with three Foretellers to deal with. Still, Vanitas stood his ground, standing guard over the wounded Yozora and Ventus—well, mostly Ventus, as far as Yozora could tell.</p>
<p>Just then, pillars of light rained down upon the battlefield. A first flurry dispersed Invi and Gula, and a girl wielding a Keyblade appeared at their back, striking at them. Then a second flurry nailed Aced and Invi to the pavement, followed by a boy, who kept them both down with the tips of his twin Keyblades. Finally, a flurry of flames bore down from the sky, crashing down on top of Luxu's location and bursting into a cloud of dust and smoke. A third new figure stood at Vanitas's side when the dust settled, a firey Keyblade slung over his shoulder almost nonchalantly.</p>
<p>"Hands off our friends," the boy's voice rang out. It sounded eerily familiar to Yozora's ears—a lot like Ven's voice, though Ventus was right beside him, and he hadn't been the one to speak. Luxu sneered at them, but he stepped back, out of reach, Invi and Gula regrouping at his back</p>
<p>"Roxas!" Aqua said. "Xion! Axel!"</p>
<p>"King Mickey told us everything," Xion said. "Hope we're not too late."</p>
<p>"Of course we're not," Axel cut in. "Didn't I tell you? 'Dark Rescue' is my middle name."</p>
<p>Aqua scoffed. "I'm not arguing with you right now. But you guys did come at just the right time."</p>
<p>Yozora pushed himself to his feet and met Aqua's gaze across the battlefield. "Friends of yours, I take it?"</p>
<p>"Friends of Sora's," she corrected with a smile.</p>
<p>"Figures. How many of those does he have?"</p>
<p>"Enough to defeat any enemy," Ventus said. He too was back on his feet, though Vanitas still hovered closely at his side, eyes alert.</p>
<p>Aced moved then, trying to break free from the boy—Roxas—pinning him down. Yozora saw him move on time, though; he lunged for him, striking at his back just as Roxas swung both his Keyblade in a wide arc. Ira took the opportunity to retreat, but Aced couldn't move in time;three blades struck him at once and brought him down. He let out a sound, half-gasp and half-grunt, before he sank to his knees and finally collapsed. When he hit the ground, his bear mask shattered, slipping in pieces from his face.</p>
<p>"Aced!" Invi shouted, but her distress was only distraction. Ventus rushed towards her, and Aqua did too from the other side; Invi blocked the first spell Aqua cast, but she ignored the other one when it looked like Aqua had missed her. From here he stood, Yozora saw she hadn't; the spell caught Ventus instead, carrying him up in the air on frozen magic.</p>
<p>When he dove down on Invi, she cried out, but he brought down his Keyblade just as Aqua struck with another ice spell. The snake mask came down, and Invi collapsed as well.</p>
<p>Luxu and Gula both struck at Ventus then, since he was the closest to them; however, Xion came from one side to catch Luxu's Keyblade, and Vanitas from the other to stop Gula. Luxu recovered quickly enough to teleport away, but then Vanitas let out an outraged roar, and dark fire burst out of him. When it hit Gula, it burned his leopard mask to ashes, and Gula fell.</p>
<p>Yozora looked around; Ira and Roas were engaged close to him, and he thought about going to help them, but Axel was already on his way. Meanwhile, Luxu was going for the most vulnerable of them: Donald and Goofy, knocked out and far out of reach of any of Yozora's exhausted allies.</p>
<p>Focusing the power within him, Yozora threw his sword towards Luxu. Luxu blocked the weapon, but Yozora was already warping towards it; when he reached his sword, he was close enough to catch Luxu at point-blank range, emptying his crossbow at him. With a cry of surprise, Luxu took the hit and staggered backwards, dropping his arrowgun as his hand shot up to his one eye, though he couldn't cover the wisps of smoke coming from where the crossbow bolts had hit his face.</p>
<p>Yozora's momentum carried him away from Luxu, and he rolled on the pavement, attempting in vain to recover. He shouldn't have worried: even as Luxu attempted to find him and strike him down with the Keyblade in his free hand, Aqua appeared behind him.</p>
<p>"That," she said, ferocious, "is payback for Terra."</p>
<p>She drove forward, Keyblade first, tearing a strangled cry from Luxu's throat. His empty gaze turned to the skies, but it no longer reflected the light above them.</p>
<p>And then, just like that, it was over. Or at least, this battle was.</p>
<p>Yozora could barely get to his feet—all he could do was look up. Up at the top of the twin towers, and the flood of the light bearing down from there, threatening to swallow them all.</p>
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